hired gun: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1informal
Quick answer
What does “hired gun” mean?
A mercenary, literally a person hired to use a gun.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A mercenary, literally a person hired to use a gun.
Figuratively, a person (e.g., lawyer, consultant, lobbyist, accountant) hired to perform a specific, often aggressive or controversial, task, especially one requiring a ruthless or highly specialized skill set. The connotation is often negative, implying loyalty only to money, not to a cause or organization.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. More likely to appear in American media/contexts due to its roots in 'Wild West' history.
Connotations
Equally negative in both, implying a lack of ethics or principle. In the UK, the 'Western' association might be slightly less culturally immediate.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “hired gun” in a Sentence
[company/government] hired [person/company] as a hired gun to [do something aggressive]He was nothing more than a hired gun for [client/cause]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hired gun” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No common verb form in British English.
American English
- No common verb form in American English.
adverb
British English
- No common adverb form in British English.
American English
- No common adverb form in American English.
adjective
British English
- He had a hired-gun attitude, caring only for the fee.
- It was a hired-gun operation, with no loyalty to the brand.
American English
- She took a hired-gun approach to the litigation.
- The firm was known for its hired-gun tactics.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used critically for aggressive consultants brought in for layoffs or hostile takeovers.
Academic
Rare; might appear in political science or business ethics discussions about lobbying.
Everyday
Used to describe a ruthless lawyer or a political attack dog.
Technical
Used in cybersecurity for a 'hired hacker'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hired gun”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hired gun”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hired gun”
- Using it to mean any freelancer (misses the negative, aggressive connotation).
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They hired-gunned him' is incorrect; it's a noun phrase).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely. It is almost always pejorative, questioning the person's ethics or loyalty. Occasionally, in very informal contexts, it might be used admiringly for someone's ruthless efficiency, but the core criticism of being 'for sale' remains.
No. All hired guns are freelancers/contractors, but not all freelancers are hired guns. 'Hired gun' adds a layer of aggression, ruthlessness, and ethical ambiguity that 'freelancer' does not imply.
A consultant is a neutral, professional term. A 'hired gun' is a type of consultant perceived to be brought in to do a specific, dirty, or aggressive job that regular staff wouldn't or shouldn't do, often with a focus on winning at all costs.
Yes, but it's largely confined to historical contexts (e.g., books about the Wild West) or discussions of modern private military contractors (PMCs), though the more common term for the latter is 'mercenary'.
A mercenary, literally a person hired to use a gun.
Hired gun is usually informal in register.
Hired gun: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪəd ˈɡʌn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪərd ˈɡʌn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Gun for hire”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a Western movie villain who is paid to shoot the sheriff. In a modern office, the 'gun' is a briefcase, but the ruthless job-for-pay idea is the same.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMERCE IS WAR / ARGUMENT IS WAR (the hired specialist is a soldier/weapon for hire).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'hired gun' MOST likely be used?