jump shot

American  

noun

Basketball.

1. a shot with one or both hands in which a player leaps into the air and shoots the ball at the basket at the moment of reaching the highest point of the leap.

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jump shot British  

noun

1. basketball a shot at the basket made by a player releasing the ball at the highest point of a leap

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Etymology

Origin of jump shot

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jump shot

Carr was viewed by NBA scouts as athletic with his 42½-inch vertical leap and as having a good jump shot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

He’s revived a weapon driven to extinction by the analytical addiction to the 3-pointer: the midrange jump shot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026

But NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander drained a superb 13-foot jump shot to tie it up at 114-114 as the buzzer sounded to send the game into overtime.

From Barron's ● Jan. 8, 2026

He honed a pinpoint midrange jump shot and studied opposing offenses to know exactly where to grab steals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 23, 2025

Your jump shot was just sad to watch.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy