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
Additionally, his jumper has been a bit hit-or-miss so far in the NBA, although he’s hit 36.5 percent from distance over the last two seasons on nearly six attempts per game. Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 19 June 2025 The rest of the show is a little more hit-or-miss, ranging from genuinely funny to somewhat cringe. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Adverb
Tech deals can be hit or miss, but Woot’s lineup today is doing a lot of things right. Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 9 June 2025 Studio profit rose, however, on lower costs including for games — a hit or miss business for Warner that didn’t have a new releases in the quarter. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 8 May 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Hit-or-miss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hit-or-miss. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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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