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Synonyms

shot in the arm

Cultural  

  1. Something that boosts one's spirits: “After my recent financial troubles, that raise was a real shot in the arm.”

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.

The war might also necessitate a boost to fiscal spending, which could weigh on bonds while delivering a shot in the arm to the broader economy, at least in the short term.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

McClelland said the 4G and 5G networks "have had a shot in the arm" to make the 3G network switch-off work.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

The aid will be a shot in the arm to soybean farmers, who have faced devastating financial losses this year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025

Horse racing is a dying brand on the sports landscape and a possible Triple Crown winner could have a shot in the arm the sport desperately needs.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2025

Franz Wächter, alongside him, has a shot in the arm which didn’t look too bad at first.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

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.