as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
The comic ended the show with a rant in which he potshot an assortment of celebrities.
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Recent Examples of potshot
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
Bolstered by hubris and net worth, these billionaires have loudly aligned themselves with their preferred candidate, taken potshots at the opposition, and flogged their personal policy prescriptions—often in feisty social media spats with one another.
—Byalexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2024
Key bandmembers Waters and David Gilmour (pictured above right and left, respectively, in the early 1970s), have been feuding for decades, taking public potshots at each other while recently trying to find enough common ground to close a deal.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for potshot 
Noun
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
Bolstered by hubris and net worth, these billionaires have loudly aligned themselves with their preferred candidate, taken potshots at the opposition, and flogged their personal policy prescriptions—often in feisty social media spats with one another.
—Byalexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2024
Key bandmembers Waters and David Gilmour (pictured above right and left, respectively, in the early 1970s), have been feuding for decades, taking public potshots at each other while recently trying to find enough common ground to close a deal.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for potshot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potshot
Verb
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Trump appointee Michael Pack won confirmation from the U.S. Senate in May 2020 after a two-year wait and spent his seven-plus months in office attacking many of its journalists.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
23 Jan. 2025
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On Wednesday, gunmen attacked a checkpoint near Jableh, killing two members of the new government’s security force.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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That devastating opening salvo was the most airstrikes in a single day carried out in the air force’s history, which is saying something considering that history includes the game-changing 1967 Six Day War.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
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Many experts in Washington believed Nippon could adequately address any national security concerns, but the latest salvo shows the Japanese company’s firmest commitments to date.—
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
Boston Herald,
1 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Some slammed the woman's decision to travel while sick, while others noted that avoiding potentially contagious passengers in a crowded airport can be challenging.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
18 Jan. 2025
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But the giant headwinds slammed the economy — especially a property crisis fueling deflation — can make China’s official growth data seem fanciful.—
William Pesek,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Thomas helped to lead a 3-point barrage when the Nets handed the Kings a 108-103 loss on Nov. 24 in Sacramento.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacramento Bee,
27 Jan. 2025
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It’s all covered in obsessive detail in the upcoming anniversary doc, Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music, one of a barrage of specials and look-backs celebrating the pioneering sketch show’s storied history.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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And coming around once every four years to beg for votes is both insulting and infuriating.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
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Last September, Roan went viral for clapping back at a photographer who was insulting stars on the MTV Video Music Awards red carpet.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Never one to hide her emotions, Sabalenka kicked a ball after netting a volley and dropped her racket after missing an overhead.—
Howard Fendrich,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2025
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Some of the crowd booed after Djokovic netted a forehand volley on set point and then walked to the net to shake hands with Zverev.—
Adam Zagoria,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Anti-Defamation League is scolding Elon Musk after coming to the billionaire titan’s defense earlier in the week.—
James Hibberd,
The Hollywood Reporter,
23 Jan. 2025
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Those opinions are usually punctuated by scolding those who do not immediately comply.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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What about Chase answering Jackson’s fusillade with 212 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the second half, even as the Ravens knew Joe Burrow would be looking for No. 1 on all the biggest downs?—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Nov. 2024
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Like a similar fusillade from Tehran in April, the main effect of the barrage was to stoke worries that Israel’s retaliation would ignite a regional war that drags in the United States, and opens whole new realms of uncertainty.—
Yasmeen Serhan,
TIME,
7 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Potshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potshot. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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