range finder
noun
1
: an instrument used in gunnery to determine the distance of a target
2
: a surveying instrument (such as a transit) for determining quickly the distances, bearings, and elevations of distant objects
3
: a usually built-in adjustable optical device for focusing a camera that automatically indicates the correct focus (as when two parts of a split image are brought together)
Examples of range finder in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Secret Service’s own review of the shooting revealed the agency’s officers weren’t using the same radios as local authorities the day of the shooting, so warnings about a suspicious man with a range finder were delayed.
—
Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024
The messages, obtained by Fox News Digital from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who obtained them from Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, showed that officers flagged 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks after he was spotted using a range finder – but did not approach him.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 29 July 2024
Trump shooting live updates: Witnesses saw gunman with duffel bag and range finder
Federal authorities say Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump in the ear in an assassination attempt at the rally on Saturday.
—Will Steakin, ABC News, 18 July 2024
During a press conference Friday, executives explained the safety switches for the lander’s two range finder lasers were enabled, meaning they couldn’t be used to guide the craft during its landing, The New York Times reports.
—Amrita Khalid, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for range finder 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024
The messages, obtained by Fox News Digital from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who obtained them from Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, showed that officers flagged 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks after he was spotted using a range finder – but did not approach him.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 29 July 2024
Trump shooting live updates: Witnesses saw gunman with duffel bag and range finder
Federal authorities say Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump in the ear in an assassination attempt at the rally on Saturday.
—Will Steakin, ABC News, 18 July 2024
During a press conference Friday, executives explained the safety switches for the lander’s two range finder lasers were enabled, meaning they couldn’t be used to guide the craft during its landing, The New York Times reports.
—Amrita Khalid, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for range finder
Dictionary Entries Near range finder
Cite this Entry
“Range finder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/range%20finder. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share