To shoot and kill or seriously injure someone with a firearm, often suddenly and deliberately.
To shoot and kill someone with a gun.
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
To shoot and kill or gravely wound a person with a firearm, often in a sudden or brutal manner.
"The witness was gunned down in broad daylight before she could testify."
"He was gunned down outside his Dakota apartment building in New York City."
— Widely reported in news coverage of John Lennon's assassination, December 1980.
To shoot someone down with a gun — largely transparent.
To shoot and kill someone with a gun.
Common in news reports, crime fiction, and historical accounts. Typically implies a brutal or sudden killing. Often used in passive constructions ('he was gunned down'). Carries a tone of violence and urgency. Not used in formal or euphemistic contexts.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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