starting gun

noun

: a special gun used to signal the beginning of a race
The official fired the starting gun and the runners were off.
also : the signal made by a starting gun
As soon as she heard the starting gun, she took off running.

Examples of starting gun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That action in effect fires a starting gun for consumers in the market for a new car or truck to get off the starting line of their search and make a decision. Ed Garsten, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Starting gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starting%20gun. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!