1 B2 informal
To engage in a gunfight in order to settle a dispute or confrontation
"The two gangs decided to shoot it out rather than negotiate a truce."
shoot it out
B2 informal intransitive
To settle a dispute or competition by gunfire or by an intense decisive contest
In plain English
To fight with guns until someone wins, or to decide something with a final contest
What does "shoot it out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To settle a sporting contest or competition through a decisive final round, such as a penalty shootout
"Neither team could score in extra time, so they had to shoot it out from the spot."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To resolve a standoff by exchanging gunshots — relatively transparent from context
Actually means
To fight with guns until someone wins, or to decide something with a final contest
Usage tip
Often used in Western film/cowboy contexts. Figuratively used in sports (especially penalty shootouts in football) and business competition. The phrase is always used with the pronoun 'it': cannot say 'shoot the problem out'.
Words that pair with "shoot it out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
penalty gunfight rival competition final showdown
How to conjugate "shoot it out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
shoot it out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shoots it out
he/she/it
Past simple
shooted it out
yesterday
Past participle
shooted it out
have + pp
-ing form
shooting it out
continuous
Hear "shoot it out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "shoot it out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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