long shot

American  

[lawng shot, long] / ˈlɔŋ ˌʃɒt, ˈlɒŋ /

noun

1. a horse, team, etc., that has little chance of winning and carries long odds.

2. an attempt or undertaking that offers much but in which there is little chance for success.

   Getting tickets at this late date is a long shot, but I'll give it a whirl.

3. Movies, Television. a camera shot taken at a relatively great distance from the subject and permitting a broad view of a scene.

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idioms

1. by a long shot, by any means; by a measurable degree (usually used in the negative).

   They haven't finished by a long shot.

long shot British  

noun

1. a competitor, as in a race, considered to be unlikely to win

2. a bet against heavy odds

3. an undertaking, guess, or possibility with little chance of success

4. films television a shot where the camera is or appears to be distant from the object to be photographed

5. by any means

   he still hasn't finished by a long shot

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Etymology

Origin of long shot

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

long shot

But she’s not alone, not by a long shot.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

But Cigar, at odds of 1-10, got caught up in a speed duel and wound up losing to a 39-1 long shot named Dare and Go.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

"It was a total long shot, but, like a UFO believer, I held on to the possibility of making contact," he said.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

But Mboladinga’s arrival in the states was nearly as big of a long shot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

We knew it was a long shot but were still bummed out to realize that we might never see her again.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

Related Words

• fluke