shot put

American  

[shot poot] / ˈʃɒt ˈpʊt /

noun

• shot puts
  plural

1. a field event in which a heavy ball or shot is thrown or put for distance.

2. a single throw or put of the shot.

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shot put British  

noun

1. an athletic event in which contestants hurl or put a heavy metal ball or shot as far as possible

2. a single put of the shot

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• shot-putter
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• shot puts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of shot put

First recorded in 1895–1900; shot ¹ (in the sense “projectile for discharge from a firearm”) + put (in the sense “to throw or cast”)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shot put

The 33-year-old had competed just once - in the shot put at an event in Loughborough in May - since winning world bronze in Tokyo last September.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

The shot put didn't go to plan, it needs work in those conditions, but I'm happy overall with how I did.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

By the way, despite medical treatments, B.P.J. recently won a state championship in girls shot put.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Crean Lutheran’s Noah Richardson cleared 15-6 to win the pole vault while Redondo Union’s Bo Ausmus won the discus with a throw of 185-7 and the shot put with a mark of 61-9.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026

A handful of small iron shot put in the shell will facilitate this operation.

From Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. by United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance