starting gun
noun
: a special gun used to signal the beginning of a race
The official fired the starting gun and the runners were off.
also
: the signal made by a starting gun
As soon as she heard the starting gun, she took off running.
Examples of starting gun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The reality is Manfred only fired a starting gun — now begins a Baseball Hall of Fame consideration process unlike any other.
—
Sam Settleman, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Instead of a medal from the 2025 CHSAA Class 3A girls 3,200-meter state championship, Reuter’s keeping a piece of the bullet fired from that race’s starting gun.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 17 May 2025
That action in effect fires a starting gun for consumers in the market for a new car or truck to get off the starting line of their search and make a decision.
—Ed Garsten, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
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Sam Settleman, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Instead of a medal from the 2025 CHSAA Class 3A girls 3,200-meter state championship, Reuter’s keeping a piece of the bullet fired from that race’s starting gun.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 17 May 2025
That action in effect fires a starting gun for consumers in the market for a new car or truck to get off the starting line of their search and make a decision.
—Ed Garsten, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Starting gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starting%20gun. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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