long shot

noun \ ˈlȯŋ-ˌshät \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Examples: long shot in a Sentence

Definition of long shot

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

— by a long shot

: by a great deal

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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 of long shot from the Web

The city was a long shot for MLS consideration three years ago when Jeff Berding — who led the campaign to build Paul Brown Stadium for the Bengals and Great American Ball Park for the Reds — formed the professional soccer team.

— joe kay, Pro Soccer USA, "MLS names FC Cincinnati latest expansion team," 29 May 2018
Actors, formerly shown in long shots, were now filmed in close-ups—popularized by Griffith—the better to see them.

— margaret heidenry, HWD, "Introducing Florence Lawrence, Hollywood’s Forgotten First Movie Star," 25 May 2018
But a turning point was the long shot, but ultimately successful, legal challenge waged by Maria Altmann, a Jewish refugee from wartime Vienna, against the Austrian government for the return of six Gustav Klimt paintings once owned by her family.

— berthold steinhilber, Smithsonian, "The Lost Maidens of Berlin," 24 May 2018
Jane Briggs-Bunting, a lawyer, and founder of the Michigan Coalition for Open Government, said McKee’s case provides interesting arguments, but is a long shot for consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.

— patricia montemurri, Detroit Free Press, "Bill Cosby accuser from Detroit takes defamation suit to Supreme Court," 4 May 2018
Bravazo also laid an egg in his final race as a 2-year-old, finishing 10th in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, although at that point in his career, with one victory in his first four races, he was considered a long shot.

— mark inabinett, AL.com, "Kentucky Derby 2018: Meet the contenders and watch them run," 30 Apr. 2018
Odds of 33/1 are definitely considered a long shot.

— chris morris, Fortune, "Some People Scored a Good Deal of Cash When the Royal Baby's Name Was Announced," 27 Apr. 2018
Divisive Figure While polls give the opposition candidate as much as a double-digit lead over President Maduro, Falcon remains a long shot.

— Bloomberg.com, "Venezuelan Candidate Would Seek Debt Restructuring, Adviser Says," 23 Mar. 2018
Capturing even one statewide office remains a long shot, but Republicans at least hope to pick up some legislative seats by running moderate candidates.

— melody gutierrez, San Francisco Chronicle, "At California’s Capitol, those accused of sexual harassment find success," 17 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'long shot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of long shot

1796

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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LONG SHOT Defined for English Language Learners

long shot

noun

Definition of long shot for English Language Learners

: an attempt or effort that is not likely to be successful
: a person or thing that is not likely to win something (such as a contest or race)

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