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
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
But habeas petitions are a long shot in Louisiana right now, said Nora Ahmed, legal director of the ACLU of Louisiana.
—
Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025
Aidan Chiles, Michigan State Chiles is likely a long shot, but could be an option depending on his market.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Dec. 2025
That’s the longest of long shots, as the site also gives the Chiefs less than a 1% chance of ending up in slots 5 through 8.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025
At the end of Stand by Me, Reiner shows Chris (Phoenix) walking away from Gordie (Wheaton) in a long shot while narration by the adult Gordie (Richard Dreyfuss) tells us that Chris escaped his abusive household, left Castle Rock, and even managed to go to college.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for long shot
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Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025
Aidan Chiles, Michigan State Chiles is likely a long shot, but could be an option depending on his market.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Dec. 2025
That’s the longest of long shots, as the site also gives the Chiefs less than a 1% chance of ending up in slots 5 through 8.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025
At the end of Stand by Me, Reiner shows Chris (Phoenix) walking away from Gordie (Wheaton) in a long shot while narration by the adult Gordie (Richard Dreyfuss) tells us that Chris escaped his abusive household, left Castle Rock, and even managed to go to college.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 16 Dec. 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 28 Dec. 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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