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
During his long shot bid for the White House, Ramaswamy loaned and contributed $26 million to his own campaign.
—
Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 17 Dec. 2024
Republican members who spoke to The Hill view Roy’s bid as a long shot, given his numerous instances of bucking GOP leadership on the House floor and in public comments.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
Considering quarterback Jameis Winston already had 446 passing yards at that juncture and his offense finished with 522 yards total, getting 35 or so to set up a field goal attempt hardly seemed like a long shot.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 5 Dec. 2024
Trump’s record suggests that any such compromise is a long shot.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for long shot 
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Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 17 Dec. 2024
Republican members who spoke to The Hill view Roy’s bid as a long shot, given his numerous instances of bucking GOP leadership on the House floor and in public comments.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
Considering quarterback Jameis Winston already had 446 passing yards at that juncture and his offense finished with 522 yards total, getting 35 or so to set up a field goal attempt hardly seemed like a long shot.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 5 Dec. 2024
Trump’s record suggests that any such compromise is a long shot.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 28 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 3 Jan. 2025.
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
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