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
  • An official of Congo's ruling party UDPS, Marie-Célestin Karondwa, was attacked by unknown suspects Sunday for defending the government's measures against Ebola on a radio program and was in critical condition, according to the UDPS.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Additionally, the agents were apparently not instructed to attack or compromise the UN website.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Its massive elevator bank also ate up too much of the interior, leaving the opening salvo of each show to fend with a shallow exhibition space.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The latest salvo will add to fears in the Gulf that the conflict, which started in February, is far from over.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of salvo
Verb
  • Just a Fever player slammed to the ground, a couple Aces free throws, and a couple zebras looking as clueless as ever.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Donalds’ speech ran the gamut of Republican campaign points, from slamming COVID lockdowns to border crossings.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of slam
Noun
  • The circumstances are objectively potent — but Udofia smothers them in such a barrage of cutesiness and self-conscious signalling that a wall rises between us and the play.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • That, on top of a barrage of press from its cast (including, perhaps most notably, bonafide internet boyfriend Jack Innanen) seems to have worked.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of barrage
Verb
  • The Amazon Prime Video broadcasters all considered the male Fever fan guilty before details of what actually happened came out, scolding him on air for his behavior.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Tired of Luann’s antics already, Porsha chats with the other women during it, and Luann doesn’t just yell at her from the stage but walks into the crowd to scold her face-to-face into the microphone.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of scold
Noun
  • If access to divorce has removed the net from our tennis game, for the one percent, the proceedings have turned into Sincaraz-level volleys.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Paul Marie flicked a ball off the outside of his foot to Judd, who scored on a volley from the edge of the 6-yard box to give the Earthquakes a 3-0 lead in the 29th.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of volley
Verb
  • Others insulted them, settling into the familiar wrestling roles of heroes and villains before ever stepping between the ropes.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Trump has also lashed out at individual reporters in person or over social media, sometimes in strikingly personal terms -- insulting them in briefings, or in his recent speech at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 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 5 Oct. 2026.

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