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

The winner came from the second phase of a corner, before Rogers had a long shot parried into Bellingham's path.

From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026

After Belgium’s backup goalkeeper spilled a long shot, Merino slammed it home to give his country a 2-1 victory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

“Congressional Democratic support of legislation that would undercut Democratic governors and attorneys general is a long shot, in our view,” wrote Stifel Chief Washington Policy Strategist Brian Gardner in a research note this week.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

That could allow its current investors to start cashing out even if the refinery never gets built — a milestone many energy industry insiders still view as a long shot.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 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

Related Words

• fluke