potshot 1 of 2

verb

Definition of potshotnext
as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly The comic ended the show with a rant in which he potshot an assortment of celebrities.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

potshot

2 of 2

noun

as in salvo

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of potshot
Noun
No one takes potshots at Washington or Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin, the usual lineup of Founding Fathers. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 12 Nov. 2025 No, Sean Payton wasn’t throwing a stray potshot at his special teams coordinator. — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 3 Nov. 2025 As evidenced by this weekend’s flurry of festivities around its 50th anniversary, SNL has survived all the potshots. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025 Taking a potshot is a 90-day misdemeanor, plus fines. — Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 6 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for potshot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potshot
  1. attack
  2. salvo
  3. slam
  4. barrage
  5. scold
  6. volley
  7. insult
  8. fusillade
Verb
  • Hawley said the majority of conflicts between humans and coyotes occurs when a pet owner tries to save their pet from an attacking coyote.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Running as the populist candidate, Brown has repeatedly attacked Husted as the face of data centers in the state and pushed to take on Silicon Valley if elected to office again.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Hang on through an opening salvo of political jokes that elapsed time and Tuesday’s election results have rendered stale (Rudy Giuliani, anybody?
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The Vance post was the highest-level opening salvo in a civil war that had been brewing for some time.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of salvo
Verb
  • Over the summer, Raman slammed Bass for pausing a bike lane and street safety improvement project near two cemeteries along Forest Lawn Drive that had come under fire by some in Raman’s district.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The great danger, though, and one that fully manifests here, is that speechifying like Claire’s slams up against the fourth wall and ricochets back at her.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of slam
Noun
  • This was studied New Zealand, Tasmania and some parts of South America where modelling to be least affected by a nuclear winter and unlikely to suffer direct hits in a nuclear barrage.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The latest Russian aerial barrage underscored the scale of the rebuilding task, as did the ongoing search for people missing beneath rubble after a deadly airstrike in southern Ukraine on Monday.
    — Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of barrage
Verb
  • Abe doesn’t like that Erin scolded him at his party about spilling his drink and not helping with the kids, and Erin is frustrated that none of her children will listen to her.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In a video shared by De La Espriella’s office Tuesday, the president scolds some of the suspects captured by police.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of scold
Noun
  • The two sides fired white, smoky volleys, their guns making a black-powder hiss-bang.
    — Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • James Bree scored a superb volley to give the visitors a two-goal lead in the 11th minute.
    — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of volley
Verb
  • Under Milei and Lula, Argentina and Brazil have had a rocky relationship, which took a decisive turn for the worse in July when Brazil recalled its ambassador to Argentina after Milei insulted Brazilian officials while in the country.
    — Eléonore Hughes, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Calling this all-wheel-drive EX-L a dog would insult geriatric, three-legged canines everywhere.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of insult
Noun
  • East and West are once again locked in a life-and-death confrontation, even as Putin fires off a fusillade of threats to launch nuclear missiles against any Western power that comes to Ukraine’s aid.
    — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Iran’s military said the fusillade was a warning.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Definition of fusillade

Browse Nearby Words

pots
potshot
potshots
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Cite this Entry

“Potshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potshot. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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