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
Even Las Vegas will surely refuse wagers on that long shot.
—
Peter Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 24 July 2025
Injuries usually water down this unit during training camp so a couple of long shots will be elevated up the depth chart.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 July 2025
The victory now makes Mamdani, once the leftist long shot in the primary, the leader in the crowded race for mayor in the Nov. 4 general election, which also includes incumbent Mayor Eric Adams.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 2 July 2025
Where the Earth has a dense atmosphere, abundant water and life, Mars is a desiccated, lifeless world where even the prospects of finding fossil bacteria are a long shot.
—New Atlas, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for long shot
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Peter Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 24 July 2025
Injuries usually water down this unit during training camp so a couple of long shots will be elevated up the depth chart.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 July 2025
The victory now makes Mamdani, once the leftist long shot in the primary, the leader in the crowded race for mayor in the Nov. 4 general election, which also includes incumbent Mayor Eric Adams.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 2 July 2025
Where the Earth has a dense atmosphere, abundant water and life, Mars is a desiccated, lifeless world where even the prospects of finding fossil bacteria are a long shot.
—New Atlas, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for long shot
Cite this Entry
“Long shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long%20shot. Accessed 29 Jul. 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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