cheap shot
noun
1
: an act of deliberate roughness against a defenseless opponent especially in a contact sport
taking cheap shots at the quarterback
2
: a critical statement that takes unfair advantage of a known weakness of the target
Examples of cheap shot in a Sentence
He took a cheap shot at the quarterback.
a cheap shot to the back of the head
The remark about his weight was a cheap shot.
Recent Examples on the Web
And all that was before a massive cheap shot late in the game from Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig, who reared back and punched San Francisco wide receiver Jauan Jennings below the belt and was caught on camera doing so.
—
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 25 Nov. 2025
The wildest ski scene: Wyoming Expert skiers come to Jackson Hole for steep chutes and cheap shots at the Mangy Moose, a local watering hole and live music hot spot since 1967.
—Laura Dannen Redman, AFAR Media, 4 Nov. 2025
Branch accused the Chiefs of taking cheap shots during the game that the referees either overlooked or simply did not see.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The suggestion that this rich kid might be partnered with a they/them-identifying trans law student and live in a shitty apartment for the optics seems a cheap shot.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cheap 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.
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 25 Nov. 2025
The wildest ski scene: Wyoming Expert skiers come to Jackson Hole for steep chutes and cheap shots at the Mangy Moose, a local watering hole and live music hot spot since 1967.
—Laura Dannen Redman, AFAR Media, 4 Nov. 2025
Branch accused the Chiefs of taking cheap shots during the game that the referees either overlooked or simply did not see.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The suggestion that this rich kid might be partnered with a they/them-identifying trans law student and live in a shitty apartment for the optics seems a cheap shot.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cheap shot
Cite this Entry
“Cheap shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheap%20shot. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share