cheap shot

noun

1
: an act of deliberate roughness against a defenseless opponent especially in a contact sport
taking cheap shots at the quarterback
2
: a critical statement that takes unfair advantage of a known weakness of the target
cheap-shot transitive verb

Examples of cheap shot in a Sentence

He took a cheap shot at the quarterback. a cheap shot to the back of the head The remark about his weight was a cheap shot.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Challenging pessimists on their investments is somewhat of a cheap shot. Bill Conerly, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024 That will be easy fine for his cheap shot on Cody Barton. Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 24 Nov. 2024 In Jackpot!, the potshots at the public at large are contrivances and conveniences — cheap shots designed to sell us on the film’s uninspired action high jinks and its clangingly dull comedy. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2024 This is instead of sliding the way Trevor Lawrence did on Sunday to prevent quarterbacks suffering concussions like the Jacksonville signal-caller did after taking a cheap shot from linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cheap shot 

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cheap shot was in 1971

Dictionary Entries Near cheap shot

Cite this Entry

“Cheap shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheap%20shot. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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