Synonyms of shot

shot 1 of 2

noun

ˈshät 

1

as in firing

a directed propelling of a missile by a firearm or artillery piece

cannon operators often had to use several shots to figure out the range of their targets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• firing
• blasting
• bombardment
• barrage
• volley
• discharge
• burst
• blitz
• hail
• potshot
• shower
• fusillade
• salvo
• cannonade
• broadside
• blitzkrieg
• storm
• drumfire

2

as in attempt

an effort to do or accomplish something

let's take another shot at the puzzle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• attempt
• try
• stab
• go
• bid
• offer
• pass
• endeavor
• trial
• essay
• assay
• crack
• whack
• fling
• bash
• whirl
• struggle
• undertaking
• striving
• throes
• trial and error

3

as in photo

a picture created from an image recorded on a light-sensitive surface by a camera

took a shot of his family for the scrapbook

Synonyms & Similar Words

• photo
• photograph
• pic
• snapshot
• print
• snap
• still
• enlargement
• close-up
• blowup
• telephoto
• monochrome
• sepia
• daguerreotype
• tintype
• ferrotype

4

as in shooter

a person skilled in shooting at a target

a soldier who's an excellent shot with a rifle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shooter
• gun
• marksman
• sharpshooter
• sniper
• gunner
• rifleman
• gunman
• trapshooter
• markswoman

5

as in sip

the portion of a serving of a beverage that is swallowed at one time

drank a shot of whisky

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sip
• drink
• gulp
• swallow
• slug
• belt
• swig
• draft
• sup
• snort
• drop
• nip
• drag
• swill
• quaff
• dram

6

as in guess

an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence

I have no idea what's different about you, but I'll take a shot: you cut your hair?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• guess
• guessing
• theory
• surmise
• shot in the dark
• conjecture
• hypothesis
• hunch
• hypothetical
• thesis
• speculation
• supposition
• dead reckoning
• intuition
• guesswork
• belief
• faith

7

as in opportunity

a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place

we have a real shot at getting into the championship if we win this next match

Synonyms & Similar Words

• opportunity
• chance
• room
• opening
• break
• occasion
• way
• play
• pass
• juncture

shot

2 of 2

verb

past tense of shoot

1

as in fired

to cause (a projectile) to be driven forward with force

BB guns shoot small round metal pellets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fired
• launched
• threw
• blasted
• hurled
• discharged
• squeezed off
• projected
• loosed
• flung
• blazed (at)
• slung
• cast
• tossed
• catapulted
• sniped (at)
• lobbed
• pelted
• heaved
• hurtled
• pitched

2

as in blasted

to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force

soldiers train extensively to learn to shoot accurately and quickly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fired
• blasted
• discharged
• blazed
• peppered
• sniped
• potshot
• plinked

3

as in drilled

to strike with a missile from a gun

hunters can shoot deer only during the legally specified open season

Synonyms & Similar Words

• drilled
• popped
• gunned
• killed
• dropped
• destroyed
• slaughtered
• plugged
• butchered
• picked off
• brought down
• shot down
• blazed
• blew away
• fired (at)
• sniped (at)
• peppered
• blasted (at)
• massacred
• dispatched
• shotgunned
• potshot
• wiped out
• slew
• machine-gunned
• felled
• decimated
• blotted out
• pistoled
• annihilated
• iced
• tommy-gunned
• did in
• croaked

4

as in sped

to proceed or move quickly

some show-off shot past all the other skiers on the slope

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sped
• raced
• rushed
• hurried
• flew
• traveled
• drove
• chased
• trotted
• jumped
• zipped
• scurried
• buzzed
• ran
• stepped
• blew
• blasted
• darted
• zoomed
• scooted
• dashed
• ripped
• rammed
• scuttled
• bowled
• bolted
• hustled
• barreled
• tore
• hurled
• whirled
• blazed
• jogged
• whisked
• rocketed
• cracked (on)
• bundled
• humped
• bombed
• hastened
• beat it
• breezed
• hurtled
• nipped
• rustled
• careened
• belted
• pelted
• jetted
• careered
• motored
• bustled
• coursed
• cannonballed
• stepped on it
• highballed
• shook a leg
• hied
• galloped
• hared
• got a move on
• made tracks
• streaked
• hotfooted (it)
• flitted
• scuffled
• sprinted
• scudded
• scampered
• whizzed
• accelerated
• stepped out
• stampeded
• beetled
• quickened
• arrowed
• overtook
• caught up
• outpaced
• outran
• outstripped
• fast-forwarded
• beelined

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dragged
• crawled
• poked
• crept
• lingered
• hung (around or out)
• lagged
• poked
• strolled
• loitered
• shuffled
• sauntered
• tarried
• ambled
• dallied
• dawdled
• slowed (down or up)
• lumbered
• plodded
• dillydallied
• decelerated

5

as in photographed

to take a photograph of

shooting the lakeside scene while the light lasted

Synonyms & Similar Words

• photographed
• snapped
• filmed
• mugged
• photoed
• pictured
• retook
• videotaped
• rephotographed
• imaged

6

as in cast

to throw or give off

suddenly the old, broken-down toaster began shooting out sparks

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cast
• released
• radiated
• emitted
• issued
• expelled
• exhaled
• eliminated
• emanated
• evolved
• sent (out)
• poured
• discharged
• irradiated
• gave out
• vented
• threw out
• expired
• evacuated
• sprayed
• erupted
• secreted
• ejected
• excreted
• squirted
• exuded
• oozed
• spurted
• gushed
• spewed
• spouted
• jetted
• outpoured

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• absorbed
• inhaled
• took up
• soaked (up)
• sucked (up)
• sponged

7

as in shouted

to voice one's opinions freely with force

you've been wanting to say something since this meeting started, so shoot

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shouted
• cried
• yelled
• spoke out
• spoke up
• called
• spouted (off)
• piped up
• sounded off
• hollered
• talked up
• roared
• sang (out)
• bawled
• thundered
• spoke one's mind
• vociferated
• bayed
• bellowed
• articulated
• enunciated
• enounced

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suppressed
• shut up
• hushed
• clammed up
• belted up
• quieted
• dummied up

8

as in sprinkled

to mark with small spots especially unevenly

hazel eyes that were brown shot with green

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sprinkled
• dotted
• spotted
• stained
• dyed
• peppered
• mottled
• flecked
• speckled
• blotched
• marbled
• specked
• striped
• splotched
• dappled
• freckled
• stippled
• streaked
• blotted
• interspersed
• banded
• barred
• set
• studded
• spattered
• bespattered

9

as in sent

to cause to go or be taken from one place to another

shot a congratulatory e-mail to his friend as soon as he heard the good news

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sent
• shipped
• transported
• transmitted
• transferred
• packed (off)
• dispatched
• delivered
• rendered
• passed
• consigned
• conveyed
• dropped
• launched
• presented
• gave
• returned
• addressed
• imported
• contributed
• advanced
• exported
• forwarded
• handed over
• donated
• bestowed
• resent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• received
• accepted
• obtained
• got
• acquired
• secured
• earned
• drew
• gained
• procured
• garnered

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shot

Noun

What seemed like a Spieth collapse in the making turned into a three-shot win at the Open Championship. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026

The Tottenham Hotspur defender placed his shot past the outstretched Mike Maignan in the France goal. — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Verb

They will be held in Kansas City, where the film was shot, as well as Los Angeles and New York City, where fans can buy tickets and be close to the action. — William Earl, Variety, 15 July 2026

Marina Mabrey, the league’s fourth-leading scorer who scored a record 53 points earlier this season, shot 2 of 9, scoring just 11 points against Kaila Charles and the Valkyries’ defense. — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

Phrases Containing shot

• a shot
• big shot
• by a long shot
• like a shot
• shot in the arm
• shot in the dark