gun down

shoot someone, often killing or badly hurting them in a violent attack

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What does "gun sb down" mean?

To gun someone down means to shoot them dead or cause serious injury, typically in a deliberate and cold-blooded attack. The phrase carries a strong sense of premeditation — it is not used for accidental shootings or deaths in the chaos of battle, but rather for targeted killings that are often public and calculated. It appears almost exclusively in formal and journalistic English: news reports, crime documentaries, and political writing. In casual spoken conversation, a native speaker would more naturally say 'shot dead' or 'shot and killed'. The tone is always grave, and the phrase frequently evokes images of assassinations, gang-related murders, or politically motivated attacks.

Examples

How to use it

subject + be gunned down (+ by + agent / + location / + adverbial)

The passive is by far the most natural and common construction — focus on mastering this form first, as it reflects real-world usage in journalism and reporting.

A prominent human rights lawyer was gunned down outside her office in the capital.

subject + gun down + object

In active constructions, the object (the victim) always follows 'down' — avoid inserting long noun phrases between the verb and particle.

Eyewitnesses reported that two masked men gunned down the security guard as he arrived for his shift.

subject + gun + pronoun + down

A short pronoun can technically be placed between 'gun' and 'down' in active sentences, but this pattern is rare — the passive is almost always preferred when the victim is the focus.

The officers gave chase, but the attackers had already gunned him down and fled the scene.

be gunned down + while / after + -ing clause

A participial clause often specifies what the victim was doing at the time of the attack, a pattern common in news reporting.

The witness was gunned down after agreeing to testify before the investigating committee.

be gunned down + in cold blood / in broad daylight / at close range

Fixed adverbial phrases frequently collocate with the passive form to emphasise the deliberate or brazen nature of the killing.

The city councillor was gunned down in broad daylight on a busy pedestrian street.

Common Collocations

gunned down in the streetgunned down in broad daylightgunned down by a gunmangunned down in cold bloodjournalist/activist gunned downgunned down outside [location]

Common Mistakes

Defaulting to active when passive is more natural

Learners often reach for an active sentence such as 'they gunned down the journalist', but in almost all real-world contexts the victim is the subject of a passive sentence. Always consider the passive first.

✗ Unknown assailants gunned down the activist in front of television cameras.
✓ The activist was gunned down in front of television cameras by unknown assailants.
Using it for accidental or battlefield shootings

'Gun down' specifically implies a deliberate, targeted attack — it does not fit accidental shootings or deaths in the general chaos of combat. For those contexts, use 'shot dead', 'killed in action', or 'shot accidentally'.

✗ A soldier was gunned down by friendly fire during the exercise.
✓ A soldier was shot dead by friendly fire during the exercise.
Confusing 'gun down' with 'mow down'

'Gun down' describes a targeted killing of one person or a small number of identified individuals; 'mow down' implies indiscriminate mass killing of multiple victims. Using 'gun down' for a large-scale random attack sounds unnatural.

✗ The attacker gunned down dozens of people in the crowded market.
✓ The attacker mowed down dozens of people in the crowded market.

Usage

This phrasal verb is formal and journalistic; it appears in news reports and serious writing, not casual conversation. It specifically implies a deliberate, targeted shooting — not an accidental shooting or a battlefield death.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'gun down' mostly used in the passive? It seems strange to say 'was gunned down' so often.

Yes — 'was gunned down' is by far the most common form, and this is entirely normal. Because news reporting naturally focuses on the victim rather than the attacker, the passive fits perfectly. Think of it as the default form: if you are writing about the person who was killed, use the passive.

Can I use 'gun down' in the present tense, for example in a story I'm telling?

It is occasionally used in a historical present in journalistic or narrative writing — for example, 'The story cuts to the moment the officer guns down the suspect.' However, the present continuous ('is gunning down') sounds very unnatural and should be avoided. The simple past and past passive are almost always the safer choice.

Can 'gun down' be used for any kind of shooting, or only certain types?

'Gun down' works best when the shooting is deliberate and targeted — an assassination, a gang killing, or a politically motivated attack. It does not fit accidental shootings or deaths that happen in the general chaos of a battlefield. If the killing is not premeditated and specific, a phrase like 'shot dead' is more appropriate.

Is 'gun down' appropriate in formal essays or academic writing?

It sits firmly in journalistic and formal reporting English rather than academic writing. In an academic essay, you would more likely write 'killed by gunfire', 'fatally shot', or 'assassinated'. 'Gun down' is dramatic in tone and works best in crime journalism, documentaries, and serious narrative non-fiction.

What kinds of people or roles are typically described as being 'gunned down'?

In authentic usage, the phrase most often refers to people with identifiable public or professional roles — journalists, activists, politicians, police officers, and witnesses. This reflects its journalistic origins and the types of targeted attacks that are typically reported on. It can refer to ordinary people too, but the phrase lends weight and formality that suits prominent or high-profile cases.

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