shot

1 of 3

noun

ˈshät

: an action of shooting

: a directed propelling of a missile

specifically : a directed discharge of a firearm

c(1)

: a stroke or throw in an attempt to score points in a game (such as tennis, pool, or basketball)

also : home run

(2)

: ability to shoot

has the best shot on the team

: blast sense 5a

: a medical or narcotics injection

plural shot : something propelled by shooting

especially : small lead or steel pellets especially forming a charge for a shotgun

: a metal sphere of iron or brass that is heaved in the shot put

: the distance that a missile is or can be thrown

: range, reach

: a charge to be paid : scot

: one that shoots

especially : marksman

: attempt, try

give it a shot

: guess, conjecture

: chance sense 4a

a shot at winning the prize

: a single appearance as an entertainer

did a guest shot for the program

: an effective remark

especially : swipe sense 2

a parting shot

: a single photographic exposure

especially : snapshot

: a single sequence of a motion picture or a television program shot by one camera without interruption

: a charge of explosives

: a small measure or serving (such as one ounce) of undiluted liquor or other beverage

vodka shots

a shot of espresso

: a small amount applied at one time : dose

a shot of fertilizer

a shot of humor

shot plural : sprinkles, jimmies

shot

2 of 3

past tense and past participle of shoot

shot

3 of 3

adjective

of a fabric : having contrasting and changeable color effects : iridescent

: suffused or streaked with a color

hair shot with gray

: infused or permeated with a quality or element

shot through with wit

: having the form of pellets resembling shot

: reduced to a ruined or useless state

his nerves are shot

Phrases

a shot

: for each one : apiece

like a shot

: very rapidly

shot in the arm

: stimulus, boost

shot in the dark

: a wild guess

: an attempt that has little chance of success

Example Sentences

Noun cannon operators often had to use several shots to figure out the range of their targets let's take another shot at the puzzle Adjective The tires on the car are shot.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

How different could the night have been had Pulisic struck his shot in the second minute with more force and precision, putting it into the net instead of into the legs of Dutch goalkeeper Andries Noppert?

Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2022 On her second shot, Saldivar hit a target at 1,000 yards.

Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 4 Dec. 2022 Rhodes missed a 3-pointer and RMU rebounded, setting up its final shot.

James Weber, The Enquirer, 4 Dec. 2022 His right-footed shot from 14 yards beat goalkeeper Matt Turner to the far post in the 10th minute for his 43rd international goal, moving him into sole possession of second place on the Dutch career scoring list behind Robin van Persie’s 50.

Ronald Blum, Chron, 3 Dec. 2022 Daley Blind was the eager recipient this time, and his shot left Turner waving his arms in anger at the dejected defenders in front of him.

John Branch, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2022 Breaking down the left of the U.S. penalty area his shot goes well wide.

Patrick Smith, NBC News, 3 Dec. 2022 Butler hit a clutch jumper over Al Horford, making it 110-107 with 5.1 seconds left in regulation before Brown took a pass near midcourt, dribbled to his right and nailed his shot.

Ken Powtak, Sun Sentinel, 2 Dec. 2022 Her first shot Wednesday night came at the 6:39 mark of the first quarter and ended in a three-point play as she was fouled on the attempt, putting the Cardinals up 9-3.

Alexis Cubit, The Courier-Journal, 1 Dec. 2022

Adjective

Second, its metal influences lend it a bracing forcefulness akin to slamming an empty shot glass onto a wooden bar.

Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Nov. 2022 Jana Kramer, Ryan McPartlin, Steve Vinovich, Maria Menounos and Brandon Ford Green star in this tender romance about a big-shot interior designer returning home for the holidays to help restore an old inn.

Emy Lacroix, Peoplemag, 21 Nov. 2022 Instead of coming home to open arms and a reward for his loyalty, he's shunted off by his employer's big-shot son to Tulsa, seemingly picked at random as a place in the middle of nowhere to stick an old gangster.

Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2022 After a five-year run of hot-shot quarterbacks lighting up scoreboards and leaving defenses with few answers, the pendulum has turned away from the offense for a ... Election Deal!

Josh Dubow, ajc, 9 Nov. 2022 At Bishop Stang, Jacob Cookinham has rapidly developed into one of the nation’s most promising shot putters.

Ethan Fuller, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Nov. 2022 The drug company raised its revenue projection for the year, even as overall demand for its Covid-19 shot declines.

Francesca Fontana, WSJ, 4 Nov. 2022 There’s strategic shot placement to be made, and coordinated footwork to execute.

Caira Conner, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2022 However, the pain has not dissipated from the shot location.

Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.