Definition

Noun: 1. An entry, competitor, or candidate with a very low probability of success: A person or thing considered unlikely to win a contest or achieve a goal. 2. An attempt or undertaking with a very low chance of success but a potentially high reward: A risky venture where success is improbable but the payoff would be significant.

Usage

The term "long shot" is used to describe a scenario where the odds of a favorable outcome are very low. It emphasizes improbability, not impossibility. It often carries a tone of hopefulness or acknowledges the high-risk nature of an endeavor.

Examples

• As an unlikely competitor:

  • The young, unknown boxer was a long shot to win the championship, but he trained harder than anyone.
  • In the political race, the independent candidate is considered a long shot against the two major parties.

• As a risky venture:

  • Starting a business in this economy is a long shot, but the potential rewards are enormous.
  • Asking for a promotion after only six months is a long shot, but you have nothing to lose by trying.

Advanced Usage

• "not by a long shot": An idiom used for strong emphasis to mean "not at all" or "not nearly."
  • "Is the project finished?" "Not by a long shot; we still have months of work left."
  • He isn't the best player on the team, not by a long shot.

Variants and Related Words

• Long-shot (adjective, often hyphenated): Used to describe the noun it modifies.
  • It was a long-shot attempt to save the company.
  • He made a long-shot bid for the presidency.

Synonyms

• Dark horse: A competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds. (Similar, but a "dark horse" can sometimes win, while a "long shot" usually does not.)
• Outside chance: A small possibility.
• Improbable/Unlikely candidate.
• Hail Mary (informal, from American football): A desperate, last-ditch attempt with very low odds.

Related Idioms

• "A shot in the dark": A wild guess or attempt made with little hope or information. This is very close in meaning to the second definition of "long shot."
  • I didn't know the answer, so my response was just a shot in the dark.

Noun

1. a contestant that is unlikely to win
2. a venture that involves great risk but promises great rewards