shot put

American  

[shot poot] / ˈʃɒt ˈpʊt /

noun

• shot puts
  plural

1. a field event in which a heavy ball or shot is thrown or put for distance.

2. a single throw or put of the shot.

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shot put British  

noun

1. an athletic event in which contestants hurl or put a heavy metal ball or shot as far as possible

2. a single put of the shot

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• shot-putter
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• shot puts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of shot put

First recorded in 1895–1900; shot ¹ (in the sense “projectile for discharge from a firearm”) + put (in the sense “to throw or cast”)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shot put

She also matched her best of 1.86m in the high jump and threw 13.96m in the shot put.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

The shot put didn't go to plan, it needs work in those conditions, but I'm happy overall with how I did.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

By the way, despite medical treatments, B.P.J. recently won a state championship in girls shot put.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

He once threw the shot put 51 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which is his claim to fame at North Hollywood High.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2026

I also took first place in the half-mile run, shot put, discus throwing, and something else.

From The Life of Me; an autobiography by Clarence Edgar Johnson