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
Raising taxes on the rich could be a long shot, though.
—
Emily Brooks, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
While the team and the fanbase will no doubt be excited about next season already, this postseason could provide the young team – in particular key men Banchero and Wagner – with invaluable playoff experience, even if going on a run this season is a long shot.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
His homer Sunday against the team that drafted him in the 39th round in 2016 was his first ever as a pinch-hitter and the Marlins’ first by a pinch-hitter since Nick Gordon’s long shot against the Pirates on March 31 last season.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2025
Reality check: The legislation is a long shot, at least in the short term.
—Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for long shot
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Emily Brooks, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
While the team and the fanbase will no doubt be excited about next season already, this postseason could provide the young team – in particular key men Banchero and Wagner – with invaluable playoff experience, even if going on a run this season is a long shot.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
His homer Sunday against the team that drafted him in the 39th round in 2016 was his first ever as a pinch-hitter and the Marlins’ first by a pinch-hitter since Nick Gordon’s long shot against the Pirates on March 31 last season.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2025
Reality check: The legislation is a long shot, at least in the short term.
—Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for long shot
Cite this Entry
“Long shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long%20shot. Accessed 22 Apr. 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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