hit-or-miss

1 of 2

adjective

: marked by a lack of care, forethought, system, or plan
also : hit-and-miss

hit or miss

2 of 2

adverb

: in a hit-or-miss manner : haphazardly

Examples of hit-or-miss in a Sentence

Adjective your hit-or-miss schedule for taking your medication is going to land you in the hospital again Adverb I was learning Spanish hit or miss, mostly just by hearing my friends speak it.
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.
Adjective
Christmas music seems to be hit-or-miss with most people, and opinions on specific songs can vary greatly. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 18 Dec. 2024 And that's hard in some places where short-term rentals are a hit-or-miss proposition. Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
Adverb
The Cavaliers have been hit or miss with their annual City Edition jerseys, but this year is a big hit. Troy Smith, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024 Gifting fragrance can be a hit or miss, but Lake & Skye's roll-on fragrance oil is a shoo-in to be a fabulous stocking stuffer loved by all. People Staff, People.com, 29 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hit-or-miss 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1848, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hit-or-miss was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near hit-or-miss

Cite this Entry

“Hit-or-miss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit-or-miss. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

hit or miss

adverb
: without plan, order, or direction : haphazardly
hit-or-miss
ˌhit-ər-ˈmis
adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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