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

Jarren Duran hit his 20th homer, a solo shot on the first pitch from Grayson Rodriguez (4-7), to spark a four-run second inning for Boston, which improved to an MLB-best 34-17 since the All-Star break. — Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026

Republicans believe Mike Rogers, who lost the 2024 Senate race by fewer than 20,000 votes, has an improved shot against El-Sayed. — Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026

Verb

That 3-minute film, shot on Super 8, world premiered at TIFF during a pandemic-era festival online, and with Bawa, buoyed by his festival success and his father at his side, already having a feature adaptation in mind. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

Giffords was shot during an assassination attempt in 2011 but has stayed active in politics since leaving Congress. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing shot

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