long shot
noun
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
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
Landing Irish actor Michael Fassbender was a long shot.
—
Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2024
That is a possibility, but also, sadly, a long shot.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Topline The return of the rival Texas A&M and University of Texas football teams to the gridiron for the first time in over a decade has fans lining up, and opening their wallets, to attend what has become the most expensive college football game on record—by a long shot.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
Last-second field goals that were once literal long shots now feel like formalities.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for long shot 
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.
Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2024
That is a possibility, but also, sadly, a long shot.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Topline The return of the rival Texas A&M and University of Texas football teams to the gridiron for the first time in over a decade has fans lining up, and opening their wallets, to attend what has become the most expensive college football game on record—by a long shot.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
Last-second field goals that were once literal long shots now feel like formalities.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for long shot
Dictionary Entries Near long shot
Cite this Entry
“Long shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long%20shot. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
long shot
noun1
: a great risk that promises a great reward if successful
2
: an entry (as in a horse race) given little chance of winning
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share