shot 1 of 2

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as in firing
a directed propelling of a missile by a firearm or artillery piece cannon operators often had to use several shots to figure out the range of their targets

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as in photo
a picture created from an image recorded on a light-sensitive surface by a camera took a shot of his family for the scrapbook

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as in shooter
a person skilled in shooting at a target a soldier who's an excellent shot with a rifle

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as in sip
the portion of a serving of a beverage that is swallowed at one time drank a shot of whisky

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as in guess
an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence I have no idea what's different about you, but I'll take a shot: you cut your hair?

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as in opportunity
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place we have a real shot at getting into the championship if we win this next match

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shot

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verb

past tense of shoot
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2
as in blasted
to cause a weapon to release a missile with great force soldiers train extensively to learn to shoot accurately and quickly

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as in photographed
to take a photograph of shooting the lakeside scene while the light lasted

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shot
Noun
Only about 45% of adults and children got their flu shot this season, CDC data shows, well below the federal target of 70%. Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025 The 30-year-old shot a 12-under, bogey-free 59 in the first round of the Cognizant Classic – formerly known as the Honda Classic. Ryan Morik, Fox News, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
Both films were shot back to back, so the same top-notch storytelling and able performances are present. Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024 Shoutout to the 38 Republicans who shot the bill down in the House while being threatened & blackmailed. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 23 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for shot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shot
Noun
  • Many of those firings have prompted lawsuits parallel to Dellinger’s that challenge the legality of Trump bypassing language in statutes, including provisions that protect employees at independent agencies from politicized or arbitrary firings.
    Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Some economists dislike the report's methodology because actual layoffs and firings can be lower than announced totals as firms reduce their workforces through attrition or by closing open job postings.
    Rob Wile, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Wambaugh reportedly supervised production of the film, and the attempt to communicate all of the case’s complexities was born of his desire for realism, but without the simple, appealing narrative structure that simplifying the details would have allowed.
    Carmel Dagan, Variety, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Ani remains resistant to the annulment, and Toros' attempt to initiate it is rejected by the court since the couple was married in Nevada, not New York.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Per her Club Shay Shay interview, a photo with Drake allegedly served as a catalyst to the breakup.
    Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Pierre shared the same photos on his Instagram page, but did not add any caption.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Finally, bloodsuckers from The Sims 4 Vampires can simply charm the burglar into leaving — after taking a quick sip from her, of course.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Adria took a sip of tea, her first since sitting down.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Ora first chose Heidi Montag, but later piggybacked off of Thicke's guess of Bethenny Frankel.
    Lauren Huff, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Los Angeles or even Texas would be reasonable guesses, but the answer is much more interesting.
    Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This was his opportunity, perhaps his only one, to sign a big contract.
    Arpon Basu, The Athletic, 6 Mar. 2025
  • But for the guard, the greatest frustration is the missed opportunity to lead.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In England, experts unearthed eight stone balls fired from catapults during Henry III’s siege of Kenilworth Castle in 1266.
    Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2024
  • The Bears offense struggled under coordinator Shane Waldron, so he was fired.
    Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • And casting supplements and drugs as comparable to, or even preferable to, prevention is especially dangerous for a disease that has no cure or antivirals.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Boosters of the technology cast it as a way to cut middlemen such as banks and credit card companies out of financial transactions and make those transactions more transparent and secure.
    Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 7 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shot. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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