gunman
Hired armed killer
A gunman is a person armed with a gun, especially one who uses it to commit violence or crime.
News reports describe bank robbers, assassins, and mass shooters as gunmen: A gunman opened fire in the shopping mall.
The term sometimes applies to hired killers or armed enforcers.
Despite the -man suffix, gunman occasionally describes women in news coverage, though shooter increasingly serves as a neutral alternative.
Professional paid murderer
- contract killerPaid professional murderer
- sniperConcealed precision shooter
- targetObject of pursuit
- silencerSound-dampening gun attachment
mercenary · elimination · execution · mafia · syndicate · underworld · clandestine · professional
Expert precision shooter
- sniperConcealed precision shooter
- riflemanArmed soldier or NZ bird
- gunnerOne who fires artillery
- active shooterArmed person attacking people
mass shooting · rampage · spree · lone wolf · shooting · perpetrator · assailant · attacker
One who steals by force
- banditArmed roadside thief
- fugitiveOne fleeing authorities
- gangsterCriminal organization member
- felonSerious crime perpetrator
holdup · heist · robbery · getaway · masked · armed robbery · bank robber · stick-up
hitman
Professional paid murderer
- contract killerPaid professional murderer
- sniperConcealed precision shooter
- targetObject of pursuit
silencer · mercenary · elimination · execution · mafia · syndicate · underworld · clandestine · professional · mark
sharpshooter
Expert precision shooter
active shooter · mass shooting · rampage · spree · lone wolf · shooting · perpetrator · assailant · attacker · suspect
robber
One who steals by force
felon · holdup · heist · robbery · getaway · masked · armed robbery · bank robber · stick-up · hostage
pistol
Compact one-handed firearm
- revolverPistol with rotating chamber
- rifleLong-barreled shoulder weapon
- firearmProjectile weapon using explosives
ammunition · holster · sidearm · magazine · bullet · trigger · barrel · caliber · chamber · muzzle
avenger
Retribution dealer
- justiceFair treatment under law
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- vengeanceRetaliation for injury
crusader · enforcer · renegade · protector · defender · antihero · self-appointed · lone · shadow · night
- combatantssoldier, warrior, fighter, swordsman, spearman
- armed peopleshooter, sniper, rifleman, gunner, sharpshooter
- attackersaggressor, assailant, attacker, assaulter, ambusher
- gunmenshooter, triggerman, hitman, sniper, sharpshooter
- dangersdanger, peril, hazard, risk, menace
- gunslingersquickdraw, fast draw, pistolero, shootist, dead shot
gunmanpacifist
Anti-violence believer
peacemaker · peace activist · conscientious objector · Mahatma Gandhi · dove
- lone gunmanIndividual armed attacker acting independently
- lone gunmenIndividuals committing violence alone