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 of one-shot

• 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

Snow falling upwards, a B-side to the self, two lovers in a one-shot take, that pause before the final chorus. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026

But the film also dazzles with its exhilarating action sequences, including a one-shot car chase that thrusts you into the thick of the chaos and stays with you long after the credits have rolled. — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026

Talley, whose mother, Brandii, works as a dental hygienist, went into the day with a one-shot lead and finished six back of eventual winner María José Marín. — Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Casey regained the lead with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 15th, saved par with a 15-foot putt on the par-3 16th and came to the 18th with a one-shot lead. — ABC News, 6 Sep. 2026

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