Is 'firing range' only for military use?

No. While commonly associated with military and police, there are many public and private firing ranges used for recreational shooting sports, hunter training, and personal defence practice.

What's the difference between a 'firing range' and a 'shooting gallery'?

A 'firing range' is a general term for a facility designed for shooting at targets, often at longer distances and with various firearms. A 'shooting gallery' typically refers to a smaller, often indoor, facility for light weapons like air rifles, commonly found at funfairs or entertainment venues.

Can 'firing range' be used as a verb?

No. 'Firing range' is a compound noun. The related verb phrase is 'to fire on/at the range'.

Is the metaphorical use of 'firing range' common?

It is recognisable but not extremely common. It is a vivid journalistic or literary device. More common metaphors for criticism are 'in the hot seat', 'under fire', or 'in the crosshairs'.

Is “firing range” formal?

Firing range is usually formal; technical; journalistic (when used metaphorically). in register.

How do you pronounce “firing range”?

Firing range: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪə.rɪŋ ˌreɪndʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪr.ɪŋ ˌreɪndʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

firing range: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

UK/ˈfaɪə.rɪŋ ˌreɪndʒ/US/ˈfaɪr.ɪŋ ˌreɪndʒ/

Formal; Technical; Journalistic (when used metaphorically).

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “firing range” mean?

An outdoor or indoor area designated and equipped for the practice of shooting firearms at targets.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

An outdoor or indoor area designated and equipped for the practice of shooting firearms at targets.

A facility for training individuals in the use of weapons, often used in military, police, or recreational contexts. Can also metaphorically refer to any environment where someone is subjected to intense criticism or testing.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is standard in both. 'Shooting range' is a common synonym in both varieties.

Connotations

Primarily neutral/technical in both. May have stronger military/police associations in the UK, while in the US it can more readily imply a public, recreational facility.

Frequency

Slightly more frequent in American English due to broader civilian gun culture and more widespread recreational shooting facilities.

Grammar

How to Use “firing range” in a Sentence

at the firing rangeon a/the firing rangeto a/the firing rangefrom the firing range

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

military firing rangepolice firing rangeindoor firing rangeoutdoor firing rangelive firing rangevisit a firing rangeuse a firing rangesafety on the firing range

medium

rifle firing rangepistol firing rangepublic firing rangeabandoned firing rangepractice at the firing range

weak

noisy firing rangeremote firing rangemodern firing rangenearby firing range

Examples

Examples of “firing range” in a Sentence

verb

British English

The recruits will be firing on the range tomorrow.
We spent the afternoon range-firing with the new rifles.

American English

The cadets will be firing on the range all morning.
We went to fire at the range outside town.

adverb

British English

(Not applicable; 'firing-range' is not used adverbially.)

American English

(Not applicable; 'firing-range' is not used adverbially.)

adjective

British English

The firing-range facility was state-of-the-art.
He attended a firing-range safety course.

American English

The firing-range safety rules are posted clearly.
They built a new firing-range complex.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare, except in metaphorical sense describing a hostile meeting or presentation.

Academic

Used in fields like military history, criminology, or sports science.

Everyday

Used when discussing hobbies (shooting sports), news about military/police training, or historical sites.

Technical

Standard term in military, law enforcement, and firearms training manuals.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “firing range”

Strong

range

Neutral

shooting rangetarget range

Weak

practice groundshooting gallery (usually for air rifles or small-bore)

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “firing range”

safe zonedemilitarized zonepeace garden

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “firing range”

Using 'fire range' (incorrect omission of '-ing').
Confusing it with 'gun range' (less formal but acceptable).
Using the preposition 'in' instead of 'at' or 'on' (e.g., 'He is in the firing range' is unnatural).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No. While commonly associated with military and police, there are many public and private firing ranges used for recreational shooting sports, hunter training, and personal defence practice.
: A 'firing range' is a general term for a facility designed for shooting at targets, often at longer distances and with various firearms. A 'shooting gallery' typically refers to a smaller, often indoor, facility for light weapons like air rifles, commonly found at funfairs or entertainment venues.
: No. 'Firing range' is a compound noun. The related verb phrase is 'to fire on/at the range'.
: It is recognisable but not extremely common. It is a vivid journalistic or literary device. More common metaphors for criticism are 'in the hot seat', 'under fire', or 'in the crosshairs'.
: An outdoor or indoor area designated and equipped for the practice of shooting firearms at targets.
: Firing range is usually formal; technical; journalistic (when used metaphorically). in register.
: Firing range: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪə.rɪŋ ˌreɪndʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪr.ɪŋ ˌreɪndʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“[Metaphorical] be on the firing range: to be in a position where one is being heavily criticised or tested.”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of the two parts: FIRING (the act of shooting a gun) + RANGE (an open area). It's the RANGE where you do the FIRING.

Conceptual Metaphor

CRITICISM IS GUNFIRE; A TESTING SITUATION IS A MILITARY EXERCISE.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

Before being issued a live weapon, all new officers must complete a safety course .

Multiple Choice

What is the most likely meaning of 'firing range' in this sentence: 'After the product launch failed, the marketing team was on the firing range during the board meeting.'?