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.
After what can best be described as a make-up call gave the Wild a third period power play, Faber’s long shot was stopped by Hellebuyck. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 29 Oct. 2025 Ravens still are a betting favorite to win the AFC North and even a long shot to still make the Super Bowl. Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025 Battling ghosts means confronting death, and throughout Deliver Me from Nowhere, there are long shots of Springsteen staring at elderly men. Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025 Most whitetails in the East and Midwest are shot inside 100 yards, and with few exceptions, 300 yards will be a really long shot. Will Brantley, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 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 6 Nov. 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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