Meaning & use

gunner

noun·Everyday

Last updated

A soldier or crew member responsible for operating a large gun, cannon, or other weapon system.

See it in a sentence

The tank's gunner locked onto the target and fired.

He served as a gunner on a bomber crew during the war.

A note on using this word

In informal American slang, especially in law and medical school, 'gunner' also refers to an overly competitive student.

Words with a similar meaning

artilleryman

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

(informal, chiefly U.S.) An excessively ambitious or competitive student.

Everyone in the study group avoided the class gunner who always dominated discussion.

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