as in lock
one that is certain to succeed
a shoo-in for the position of secretary of state
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Recent Examples of shoo-in
Looking ahead, Jackson and Fries are shoo-ins to retain their spots in 2026.
—
Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Bonds and Clemens would be shoo-ins for the Hall had their careers in MLB not been tainted by the accusations.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Isaacman is a private astronaut who has funded and commanded two SpaceX missions to Earth orbit, and was widely considered to be a shoo-in for administrator after his first hearing before the committee on April 9.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 3 Dec. 2025
On paper, Wilson sounded like a shoo-in.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shoo-in
Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Bonds and Clemens would be shoo-ins for the Hall had their careers in MLB not been tainted by the accusations.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Isaacman is a private astronaut who has funded and commanded two SpaceX missions to Earth orbit, and was widely considered to be a shoo-in for administrator after his first hearing before the committee on April 9.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 3 Dec. 2025
On paper, Wilson sounded like a shoo-in.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shoo-in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoo-in
Noun
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While the outside world locks into the exhilarating highlights, Johnson drills down on the nuances.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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After turning the lock with his teeth and tongue, Dawson pushes open the front door and walks out into the night.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If anything, this incident suggests that premature certainty may have extended beyond the officer involved to those who rushed to defend his actions.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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This genetic certainty has made the disease especially devastating for families, which may watch the illness unfold in one generation while younger relatives live for years under the shadow of uncertainty about their own future.—
William A. Haseltine,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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From the 2025 tariff regime to general political uncertainty, the only sure thing is that nothing is certain.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
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Looking back through the records, Warr found that the majority of medalists hadn’t looked like sure things at age 12, even as every lever in the system was tuned to favor those who did.—
Rachel Barr,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That was a cinch for Israel Fagbulu, a senior at Evergreen Park Community High School.—
Janice Neumann,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Seed starting can be a finicky business, but these 7 veggie and flower all-stars are a cinch to start indoors in late winter or spring.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoo-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoo-in. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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