Meaning & use
marksmen
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“marksmen” is a form of “marksman”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounplural
People who are very skilled at shooting accurately with a gun or bow, especially soldiers or competitors.
Grammar: Plural of marksman; takes a plural verb: the marksmen were ready.
Patterns
- marksmen from somewhere
The marksmen took up positions on the rooftops.
Only the best marksmen in the regiment were chosen for the task.
Two marksmen from the archery club won gold medals.
Word forms
| singular | marksman |
|---|
Common combinations
- skilled marksmen
- Skilled marksmen were stationed around the stadium.
- police marksmen
- Police marksmen were called to the scene.
- expert marksmen
- The unit trains expert marksmen for special missions.
- crack marksmen
- The army sent in crack marksmen to protect the convoy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sharpshooters
- Sharpshooters is more informal and can describe anyone with an accurate aim, while marksmen is a more official term.
- snipers
- Snipers shoot from hidden positions at distant targets, but marksmen may shoot openly or in competition.
- crack shots
- Crack shots is a casual phrase for excellent shooters and does not suggest a military or police role.
Word family
- marksman noun
- one skilled shooter
- marksmanship noun
- skill at shooting accurately
- markswoman noun
- a woman who is a skilled shooter
Commonly confused: marksmen or marksman?
marksmen vs marksman
Marksman is the singular and marksmen is the plural, so use marksmen with a plural verb.
Practice
The two ____ on the roof were chosen for their accuracy.
Choose one answer.
Two shows a plural noun, so marksmen is right. Marksman is singular and marksmanship is an uncountable noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “marksmen”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.