potshot

1 of 2

noun

pot·​shot ˈpät-ˌshät How to pronounce potshot (audio)
1
: a shot taken from ambush or at a random or easy target
2
: a critical remark made in a random or sporadic manner

potshot

2 of 2

verb

potshot; potshotting

intransitive verb

: to take a potshot

transitive verb

: to attack or shoot with a potshot

Examples of potshot in a Sentence

Noun She uses her newspaper column to take potshots at anyone who disagrees with her. Verb The comic ended the show with a rant in which he potshot an assortment of celebrities.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The high-speed pursuit includes a procession of would-be sharpshooters taking potshots at her, including Yippie & the Kiyays, Sadie the Stabber & the Crazyboys, Rowdy Ricky & the Red Flags, and the mega-jacked Derk Delusional (the One to Outrun). Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 Nov. 2024 The melodramatic Bea often takes potshots at spirited newcomer Ndidi (the deft Aisha Sougou) over coveted customers in some of the play’s funniest moments. Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 15 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 Elsewhere, Trump took his now-familiar potshots at electric vehicle mandates, green energy, and Harris, drawing laughter from the crowd. Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for potshot 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from the notion that such a shot is unsportsmanlike and worthy only of one whose object is to fill the cooking pot

First Known Use

Noun

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1913, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of potshot was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near potshot

Cite this Entry

“Potshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potshot. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

potshot

noun
pot·​shot
ˈpät-ˌshät
1
: a shot taken in a casual manner or at an easy target
2
: a critical remark made in a random manner

More from Merriam-Webster on potshot

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