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
How do Spaun’s odds of winning the U.S. Open compare to other long shots at majors in the past?
—
Vik Chokshi, New York Times, 17 June 2025
At the time, these chairs were cheaper than their other offerings by a long shot and were therefore the only real option within our budget (although perhaps inflation has changed that).
—Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2025
And of these encounters definitely top mine by a long shot.
—Cameron Schoppa, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
The two federal cases brought against the now-president were dropped in the wake of his election, and while Trump’s other set of state criminal charges in Georgia remain pending, that case is a long shot to move forward.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for long shot
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Vik Chokshi, New York Times, 17 June 2025
At the time, these chairs were cheaper than their other offerings by a long shot and were therefore the only real option within our budget (although perhaps inflation has changed that).
—Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2025
And of these encounters definitely top mine by a long shot.
—Cameron Schoppa, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
The two federal cases brought against the now-president were dropped in the wake of his election, and while Trump’s other set of state criminal charges in Georgia remain pending, that case is a long shot to move forward.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 11 June 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 30 Jun. 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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