crapshoot

noun

crap·​shoot ˈkrap-ˌshüt How to pronounce crapshoot (audio)
: something (such as a business venture) that has an unpredictable outcome

Examples of crapshoot in a Sentence

there are almost no sure bets in the movie business—almost everything is a crapshoot
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.
Florida’s defense is just as good as Auburn’s — and Florida's offense is a country mile better than Auburn’s one-dimensional crapshoot. Matt Hayes, USA TODAY, 10 Oct. 2025 That ratio underscores a longstanding truth: Sundance has always been a crapshoot. Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025 Awards are a real crapshoot, for lack of a better term. Jeff Conway, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025 While Richard Childress Racing drivers have won the past four season openers at the track, the summer night race has been a bit more of a crapshoot, including Jeremy Clements winning here in 2022, one of just two career wins for Clements in 520 Xfinity Series starts. Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crapshoot

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crapshoot was in 1971

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Cite this Entry

“Crapshoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crapshoot. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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