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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
  • Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone leaders say the pastor’s words attack their identity and echo past religious assimilation, spurring weekly demonstrations and new rules requiring outside ministries to seek tribal approval.
    — Savannah Peters, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • To beat the odds, founders need to plan for a long-term goal that is relevant and achievable, then attack it in a series of sprints that enable incremental growth.
    — Deann Evans, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • If the story of women’s liberation is often told as one long unlacing of the corset, an early salvo came from the French barricades.
    — Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The legal filings marked the latest salvo in Missouri’s protracted redistricting fight.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of salvo
Verb
  • Worse still, the impact slammed the Ferrari into a car in front, damaging both the convertible’s front and rear ends.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The crash happened days after an SUV driver allegedly under the influence of drugs careened down the wrong lane in Chatsworth and slammed into a Metro bus, killing two riders and injuring six others.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of slam
Noun
  • Syracuse outgained Cal by almost 200 yards last week and still lost 21-18 after Steve Angeli threw three interceptions and the Orange were called for a barrage of penalties.
    — Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • But with their popularity, there have been some incidents where some stars have been made to feel uncomfortable by the barrage of requests that come at them.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of barrage
Verb
  • Historically, the United States has sent mixed messages to Europeans, encouraging them to step up but then scolding them for seeking autonomy.
    — JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In fact, during testing, the handheld triggered nostalgic memories of playing Final Fantasy Legend and Mario Land 2 on long car rides to my grandparents' house, but without the eye strain and being scolded for playing in the dark as the sun set.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of scold
Noun
  • Castro scored with a volley from inside the box in the 87th minute—enough for the Argentine team to advance with a 2-1 aggregate score.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Jorrel Hato misjudged the flight of the delivery, allowing Belloumi to emphatically half-volley a shot into the bottom corner.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of volley
Verb
  • There were also insulting chants against Sanchez, another sign of the noisy debate over the government's handling of the crisis.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Platner also apologized for old online comments that included insulting language about women, police and rural residents.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 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 19 Sep. 2026.

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