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Definition of scattergun

scattergun

/ˈskæt.ɚ.ɡʌn/
scat · ter · gun
Plural:scatterguns
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scattergun Lexical Profile

scattergun Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Covering a wide range of things in an unsystematic, indiscriminate, or haphazard manner, rather than focusing carefully on specific targets.

Example

"The committee criticized the agency's scattergun approach to funding local infrastructure projects."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for scattergun

• noun

1

North American An informal term for a shotgun, which fires a dispersing cluster of small pellets rather than a single projectile.

Example

"In classic nineteenth-century frontier tales, the stagecoach guard often carried a scattergun for protection."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for scattergun

• Nearby Words

scatterbrained
scattered
scattergraph
scattergun
scattering
scatterplot
scattershot

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Scattergun. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/scattergun
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