long shot
noun
1
: a venture involving great risk but promising a great reward if successful
also
: a venture unlikely to succeed
2
: an entry (as in a horse race) given little chance of winning
3
: a bet in which the chances of winning are slight but the possible winnings great
Examples of long shot in a Sentence
I hope to double my profits, but I know that's a long shot.
The horse was a long shot, but we bet on him anyway.
She always bets on long shots at the racetrack.
Recent Examples on the Web
Starting safety Taylor Rapp didn’t practice Thursday and looks like a long shot to play.
—
Ted Nguyen, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
New Orleans saw 8 inches of snow, breaking the previous record of 2.7 inches by a long shot, with Chalmette, Louisiana seeing 11.5 inches and Lafayette and Rayne seeing 10.5 inches.
—John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
He is still considered a long shot to get the Bears job.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2025
While not unthinkable, the theory seems like a long shot.
—Bill Hochberg, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for long shot 
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Ted Nguyen, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
New Orleans saw 8 inches of snow, breaking the previous record of 2.7 inches by a long shot, with Chalmette, Louisiana seeing 11.5 inches and Lafayette and Rayne seeing 10.5 inches.
—John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
He is still considered a long shot to get the Bears job.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2025
While not unthinkable, the theory seems like a long shot.
—Bill Hochberg, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for long shot
Dictionary Entries Near long shot
Cite this Entry
“Long shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long%20shot. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
long shot
noun1
: a great risk that promises a great reward if successful
2
: an entry (as in a horse race) given little chance of winning
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