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
Phrases
by a long shot
: by a great deal

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And in the Pac-12 (4-seed Oregon) and ACC (10-seed NC State) Tournaments, a pair of true long shots stunned everyone to capture automatic bids to the Big Dance. William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025 This flashback kickoff, which looks to tell the devious origin story of the megachurch-leading Gemstone clan, went from long shot to lock quickly. Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2025 In the extra frame, a long shot from Jace Panzer was easily kicked aside toward the left corner by St. Cloud Cathedral goalie Keaton LeGrande. Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2025 The team was 7-7 when Penix took over for Cousins, with their playoff chances having turned from once strong into a long shot. Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for long shot

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of long shot was in 1796

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Long shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long%20shot. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

long shot

noun
1
: a great risk that promises a great reward if successful
2
: an entry (as in a horse race) given little chance of winning

More from Merriam-Webster on long shot

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