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.
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Recent Examples of potshot
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
Soon, the pair are playing long-distance chess, air drumming, and taking competitive potshots at one another’s dishware.
—Graham Hillard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
Instead Trump has taken verbal potshots at California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and President Biden, suggesting their actions are to blame for the failure to contain the fires.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025
Taking a potshot is a 90-day misdemeanor, plus fines.
—Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 6 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for potshot
Verb
In a separate tweet, Ackman also took potshots at U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
Soon, the pair are playing long-distance chess, air drumming, and taking competitive potshots at one another’s dishware.
—Graham Hillard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
Instead Trump has taken verbal potshots at California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and President Biden, suggesting their actions are to blame for the failure to contain the fires.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 8 Jan. 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
Verb
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And if Klopp felt the benefits of turning throw-ins into choreographed events, complete with long build-ups, would be outweighed in Liverpool’s case by a loss of attacking impetus, is there not something to be said for that?—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Officers found people trying to attack police cruisers with fireworks, cones, poles and other items.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The latest salvo came after China restricted its exports of rare earths, which are critical minerals used across industries, from the tech sector to automakers and defense contractors.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
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Program officials set a two-year path to mass production following test completion, with full Taiwan manufacture and target unit costs in the low hundreds of thousands USD, deliberately priced for salvo fire.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Jamal Nazzal, a spokesperson for the Palestinian political and nationalist movement Fatah, slammed Marzouk’s remarks.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
11 Oct. 2025
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Kitchen cabinets get a lot of wear since they’re constantly being opened, slammed, and bumped all day long.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Recent barrages of Russian missiles and drones have seriously damaged Ukrainian gas production and caused extensive power cuts across the country.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
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Attacking a maternity hospital with a barrage of tear gas, after protesters had been chased inside.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hart will insult Hammerstein as a third-rate talent and then, upon being face-to-face with his rival, spews over-the-top compliments.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 Oct. 2025
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The Bronx native appears to be referencing her vicious feud with Nicki Minaj, which became a nasty back-and-forth on social media earlier this month that ended up seeing both artists insulting each other’s children.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The French star opened his Milan account with an acrobatic volley against Lecce in the Coppa Italia last month, but is yet to score — or even start — in the league following his permanent move from the Club World Cup winners in August.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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Though the two actors have a kind of slacker ease in the nonsensical volleys, this lower temperature approach too often misses the work’s humor, horror and emotional resonance.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Rachel Dratch scolded Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz for laughing while rehearsing the original Debbie Downer sketch on Saturday Night Live.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Oct. 2025
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There, she is repeatedly scolded, first by a testy parking attendant (Mark Stolzenberg), and then by a doctor (Bronstein), who warns Linda of consequences if her daughter doesn’t soon reach her target weight of fifty pounds.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Earle-Sears, who has been lagging in polling, immediately began a one-hour-long fusillade on Spanberger once the debate started.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Oct. 2025
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In retaliation, the Houthis launched a fusillade of ballistic missiles at the Truman, which turned tail and steamed away, causing another Super Hornet to slide off the deck into the ocean.—
Seth Harp,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Potshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potshot. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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