long shot

noun

ˈlȯŋ-ˌshät 

1

: a venture involving great risk but promising a great reward if successful

also : a venture unlikely to succeed

2

: an entry (as in a horse race) given little chance of winning

3

: a bet in which the chances of winning are slight but the possible winnings great

Phrases

by a long shot

: by a great deal

Examples of long shot in a Sentence

I hope to double my profits, but I know that's a long shot.

The horse was a long shot, but we bet on him anyway.

She always bets on long shots at the racetrack.

Recent Examples on the Web

While outlasting either opponent and coming out with victories in either game may be long shots, the Vikings must fight hard for 60 minutes and not allow those talented opponents to dominate. —Steve Silverman, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

President Biden, who narrowly captured Georgia in 2020, had been considered by many Democrats a long shot to win it again, but that calculus could change if Harris can energize the state’s voters. —Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Washington Post, 31 July 2024

The best among this set of bad choices is for the PA to run Gaza, but given both Hamas’s and Israel’s opposition to any elevation of the PA’s standing, this option seems a long shot. —Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2024

Savvy political insiders and seasoned oddsmakers once called Trump a long shot to retake the GOP nod. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 17 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

long shot

noun

ˈlȯŋ-ˌshät 

1

: a great risk that promises a great reward if successful

2

: an entry (as in a horse race) given little chance of winning