one-shot

adjective

ˈwən-ˌshät 

1

: that is complete or effective through being done or used or applied only once

there is no easy one-shot answer to the problem

2

: that is not followed by something else of the same kind

a one-shot tax cut

one-shot noun

Synonyms

• occasional
• one-off

Examples of one-shot in a Sentence

this offer is a one-shot deal; if you refuse, you won't get another chance

Recent Examples on the Web

Every director does this — finds locations and works with their department heads to build out the world, weighs in on all the visual choices that need to be made, helps guide the actors’ performances — but even more so in a one-shot series. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025

Getty Images Fleetwood entered Sunday's final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship with a one-shot lead, poised to secure his first PGA Tour title since turning pro in 2010. —Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025

As tens of thousands of people participated at Gen Con in Indianapolis, the Fishers Event Center played host to Critical Role’s first one-shot set in the world of Exandria. —John Tufts, IndyStar, 30 July 2025

Then Green Mountain drew a one-shot foul at the other end, and Ben Shungu made the free throw. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 22 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for one-shot

• aeronaut
• aforethought
• afterthought
• apricot
• argonaut
• astronaut
• camelot
• coffeepot
• concordat
• cosmonaut
• entrepot
• flowerpot