crapshoot

American

[krap-shoot] / ˈkræpˌʃut /

noun

Informal. anything unpredictable, risky, or problematical; gamble.

verb (used without object)

crapshot, crapshooting

to play craps.
Informal. to take risks; gamble.

Etymology

Origin of crapshoot

First recorded in 1970–75; crap ² + shoot ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Until then, a bet on Fannie and Freddie’s common stocks is essentially a crapshoot.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

TSA has often been a crapshoot, risking pileups as travelers pulled laptops from carry-ons and novice vacationers struggled to untie their sneakers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 7, 2025

Friedman might be right about the playoffs being a crapshoot, but the Dodgers have made them more so with their inaction.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2023

Fringe theatergoing is a crapshoot; that’s pretty much a rule.

From New York Times • Sep. 1, 2023

But short-term rental booking platforms are often a crapshoot.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 26, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023