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
see also:
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
At the start of February, the thought of TCU men’s basketball reaching the NCAA Tournament felt like a long shot.
—
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Mar. 2026
Poor Leo is a long, long shot, and his odds just continue to decrease.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
Searching for the next Sieler is a long shot, but at least there’s walking, breathing and living proof in Miami’s locker room that having opportunity is the starting point,.
—Omar Kelly
march 13, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
The film opens with one of those gorgeous, sigh-inducing extreme long shots of landscape familiar to viewers of the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice film (2005).
—Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for long shot
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.
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Mar. 2026
Poor Leo is a long, long shot, and his odds just continue to decrease.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
Searching for the next Sieler is a long shot, but at least there’s walking, breathing and living proof in Miami’s locker room that having opportunity is the starting point,.
—Omar Kelly
march 13, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
The film opens with one of those gorgeous, sigh-inducing extreme long shots of landscape familiar to viewers of the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice film (2005).
—Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026
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 23 Mar. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
