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
This run – and the exhausted, bewildered looks on the players’ faces throughout it – has no doubt shaped Inter’s odds to win away to Barcelona, which look pretty close to long shot territory.
—
Sam Tighe, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Scott Peterson's strongest argument for overturning his murder conviction might end up being a long shot, according to one criminal defense attorney.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
So Miami would need to finish one game ahead of the Bulls to jump Chicago - something that would be a long shot if the Bulls beat the Heat for a third time on Wednesday.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
Raising taxes on the rich could be a long shot, though.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for long shot
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Sam Tighe, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Scott Peterson's strongest argument for overturning his murder conviction might end up being a long shot, according to one criminal defense attorney.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
So Miami would need to finish one game ahead of the Bulls to jump Chicago - something that would be a long shot if the Bulls beat the Heat for a third time on Wednesday.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
Raising taxes on the rich could be a long shot, though.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 17 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 5 May. 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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