shot heard round the world

Cultural  

1. A phrase from a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson about the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Emerson's words read, “Here once the embattled farmers stood / And fired the shot heard round the world.” In other words, the determination of the colonists at Concord led to the establishment of a new nation on Earth and encouraged worldwide movements toward democracy.

---

Example Sentences

Update April 21, 2025: This article states that “the shot heard round the world” occurred in Lexington.

From Slate

He was speaking to a packed, lunchtime auditorium of high schoolers and retirees in Lexington, Massachusetts, where the “shot heard round the world” was fired 250 years ago this Saturday.*

From Slate

This wall honors famous moments on the course, from Gene Sarazen’s double eagle on 15 — nicknamed “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World” — to Tiger Woods’ fifth Masters victory in 2019.

From Los Angeles Times

Mays was on deck in the ninth inning of the third game when Bobby Thomson hit “The shot heard round the world,” the three-run homer that won the National League championship for the Giants.

From Los Angeles Times

By now, dear reader, you know about Noem’s shot heard ’round the world.

From New York Times