Hail Mary
Americannoun
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Also called Hail Mary pass,. Also called Hail Mary play. a long forward pass in football, especially as a last-ditch attempt at the end of a game, where completion is considered unlikely.
noun
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Also called: Ave Maria. RC Church a prayer to the Virgin Mary, based on the salutations of the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:28) and Elizabeth (Luke 1:42) to her
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slang American football a very long high pass into the end zone, made in the final seconds of a half or of a game
Etymology
Origin of Hail Mary
1300–50; Middle English, translation of Medieval Latin Ave Maria
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.
One example comes from the recent blockbuster "Project Hail Mary," which features a five-limbed alien with a rock-like exterior.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 24, 2026
“With the last $20,000, as a Hail Mary, we created and launched Subway Takes,” says Kuo, who produces the show.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
Third place went to Amazon MGM's hit sci-fi adventure comedy "Project Hail Mary," with $13.2 million.
From Barron's ● Apr. 26, 2026
I experienced disruption a few weeks ago while watching Ryan Gosling's sci-fi movie, Project Hail Mary, at a cinema in London.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
It was a long shot, but at this point it was a shot, and sometimes you had to make the Hail Mary play.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
