long shot

noun

ˈlȯŋ-ˌshät How to pronounce long shot (audio)
Synonyms of long shotnext
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
see also:
by a long shot

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
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.
For the long shot winner, that is a golfer who has over +2000 odds to win. — Jeff Hartman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 In an event this size, with this many betting options, the real value is in the long shots. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 There are the Robertson and offer-sheet possibilities, but those are long shots. — Scott Powers, New York Times, 30 June 2026 Landing him is a long shot, a half-court heave, but what’s realistically stopping the Heat from taking it? — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for long shot

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of long shot was in 1796

Rhymes for long shot

See All Rhymes for long shot

Browse Nearby Words

long-short story
long shot
longshucks
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Long shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long%20shot. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

long shot

noun
ˈlȯŋ-ˌshät How to pronounce long shot (audio)
1
: a great risk that promises a great reward if successful
2
: an entry (as in a horse race) given little chance of winning

More from Merriam-Webster on long shot

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for long shot

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