1 B1 neutral
To pass rapidly through a place, substance, or area
"A sharp pain shot through her shoulder when she tried to lift her arm."
shoot through
B2 informal transitive/intransitive
To pass through something rapidly, or (Australian/NZ slang) to leave quickly
In plain English
To go through something very fast, or in Australian English, to leave in a hurry
What does "shoot through" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
(Australian/NZ informal) To leave a place quickly, often without warning or goodbye
"We were going to grab dinner, but he just shot through without telling anyone."
3 B2 neutral
For a thought, feeling, or sensation to move through the mind or body very quickly
"A sense of dread shot through him the moment he heard his name called."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fire a projectile so it passes completely through something
Actually means
To go through something very fast, or in Australian English, to leave in a hurry
Usage tip
In standard English, describes something (light, pain, bullet) moving rapidly through a medium. In Australian and New Zealand informal English, it means to leave quickly — sometimes implying leaving without saying goodbye or abandoning a situation.
Words that pair with "shoot through"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
pain light bullet town quickly mind
How to conjugate "shoot through"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
shoot through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shoots through
he/she/it
Past simple
shooted through
yesterday
Past participle
shooted through
have + pp
-ing form
shooting through
continuous
Hear "shoot through" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "shoot through" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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