drop shot

American  

noun

1. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) a ball or shuttlecock so softly hit that it falls to the playing surface just after clearing the net.

2. (in squash, handball, etc.) a ball so softly hit that it falls suddenly to the ground just after striking the front wall.

3. shot made in a shot tower.

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drop shot British  

noun

1. 1. tennis a softly-played return that drops abruptly after clearing the net, intended to give an opponent no chance of reaching the ball and usually achieved by imparting backspin

   2. squash a similar shot that stops abruptly after hitting the front wall of the court

2. a type of shot made by permitting molten metal to percolate through a sieve and then dropping it into a tank of water

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Etymology

Origin of drop shot

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

drop shot

I was recently playing a game of low-level ladies’ tennis, when my opponent hit an unexpected drop shot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

His clever drop shot is starting to rival Alcaraz’s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

At 5-4 down, he entertained the fans with a brilliant forehand winner - hitting it down the line after diving to the floor to reach a Schoolkate drop shot.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

Norrie again found the early break in the third set with a stunning forehand winner down the line before pushing further ahead with a glorious drop shot to take the double break.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2025

On the next point, Reggie was slow to respond to a drop shot that barely crossed the net, giving Glenn another score.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson