long shot

noun

ˈlȯŋ-ˌshät 

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

see also:

by a long shot

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

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has seen many warring camps come together in the past, but this one felt like a long shot. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026

Both airlines declined to comment on the issue of the merger, which would create the largest airline in the world and is considered a long shot by aviation and antitrust experts. —Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026

See IndieWire’s full list of 2026 Emmy predictions, complete with frontrunners, contenders, and long shots on our website. —Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026

Challenging the long-serving Graham, who has routinely batted back contenders over the years, is something of a political long shot. —ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for long shot

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

long shot

noun

ˈlȯŋ-ˌshät 

1

: a great risk that promises a great reward if successful

2

: an entry (as in a horse race) given little chance of winning