noun
shootout
SHOO-towt
noun
1
A gun battle, especially a decisive one.
"The film ends with a dramatic shootout at the border."
2
A series of penalty kicks used to decide a tied match.
"The final went to a penalty shootout after extra time."
How to Use Shootout
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA decisive gunfight, or the penalty-kick decider used in sports like football and hockey.
Common pairings
penalty shootout
a dramatic shootout
Word Forms
shootouts plural
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The film ends with a dramatic _____ at the border.
Etymology
Formed from the phrasal verb "shoot out."