hit-or-miss

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of hit-or-missnext
: marked by a lack of care, forethought, system, or plan
also : hit-and-miss

hit or miss

2 of 2

adverb

: in a hit-or-miss manner : haphazardly

Examples of hit-or-miss in a Sentence

Adjective your hit-or-miss schedule for taking your medication is going to land you in the hospital again Adverb I was learning Spanish hit or miss, mostly just by hearing my friends speak it.
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.
Adjective
Rain will be more hit-or-miss on Friday, with another wide range in afternoon temperatures. Cutter Martin, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026 Beyond Stanley, the Ravens haven’t spent a ton of money on veteran offensive linemen, which has put pressure on their young draft picks to develop — and that’s been hit-or-miss with guard Ben Cleveland, a third-round pick in 2021, heading the list of recent misses. Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Adverb
It’s been hit or miss in that respect, particularly in Big 12 play. Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026 For her, Curse of the Werewolf is hit or miss, but Stardust Racers has been a no every time. Eve Chen, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hit-or-miss

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1669, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1609, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hit-or-miss was in 1609

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Hit-or-miss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit-or-miss. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

hit or miss

adverb
: without plan, order, or direction : haphazardly
hit-or-miss
ˌhit-ər-ˈmis
adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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