shots

noun

plural of shot
1
as in firings
a directed propelling of a missile by a firearm or artillery piece cannon operators often had to use several shots to figure out the range of their targets

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2
as in attempts
an effort to do or accomplish something let's take another shot at the puzzle

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3
as in photos
a picture created from an image recorded on a light-sensitive surface by a camera took a shot of his family for the scrapbook

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4
as in shooters
a person skilled in shooting at a target a soldier who's an excellent shot with a rifle

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5
as in sips
the portion of a serving of a beverage that is swallowed at one time drank a shot of whisky

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6
as in guesses
an opinion or judgment based on little or no evidence I have no idea what's different about you, but I'll take a shot: you cut your hair?

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7
as in opportunities
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place we have a real shot at getting into the championship if we win this next match

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shots The project repurposes a Denso VS-050 robotic arm, turning it into a court-side training system that delivers repeatable shots without requiring another player. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026 But before finishing the sentence, Farrell fired two shots, hitting Pysher twice in the chest, the district attorney’s office said. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Davis was not accused of firing the shots that killed Shakur. — Chloe Melas, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026 Prosecutors believe Davis called for the shots as an act of retaliation after Shakur and Knight beat up Davis' nephew, also a Crips member, earlier that night. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Hailey marked the milestone on Instagram by sharing several sweet photos, both solo shots of Jack and snaps of him with his parents. — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 Keith, who had been ordered by a judge to start public school in January, had received some of his standard immunizations, including shots for measles, mumps, and rubella. — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 An aerial performer hung upside down from the ceiling while pouring Malört shots. — Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Parton wrote the movie’s infectious theme song — which earned her the first of two Oscar nominations — while on the set between shots. — Deborah Wilker, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shots
  1. firings
  2. attempts
  3. photos
  4. shooters
  5. sips
  6. guesses
  7. opportunities
  8. tries
Noun
  • Among other requests, the complaint asked the court to declare the firings unlawful under the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedures Act and bar the Pentagon from proceeding with the terminations.
    — BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Shortly after the firings, Stars and Stripes published an open letter from Navy Capt.
    — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of firings
Noun
  • Utilizing quick, short passes, Hayes completed 14 of his first 16 attempts, including a 26-yard touchdown strike to sophomore tight end Ian Figi that gave Naperville Central a 14-0 lead.
    — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • McIntire is going batty — in a good way — over attempts to investigate the elusive western mastiff.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of attempts
Noun
  • The fire was approaching Highway 1 just south of Plaskett Ridge Road, the department said in a Friday afternoon update that included several photos where flames could be seen near the pivotal scenic highway.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Crime-scene photos showed the driver’s seat reclined and pushed farther back than Jones, who stood 5 feet, 5 inches tall, would have kept it.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of photos
Noun
  • Authorities said that Abdullah, 51, opened fire at the gunmen, and that Kaziha, 78, and Awad, 57, drew the attention of the shooters back out into the parking lot.
    — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Just before midnight on the 5400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, police sources said a pair of unknown shooters dressed in all black and ski masks shot at the gathering from across the street, and that someone from the crowd returned fire.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of shooters
Noun
  • Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on presidential portrayals and summer sips.
    — , FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • On the palate, first sips are remarkably soft and approachable, and Hyperion drinks a touch below its 110 proof.
    — David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sips
Noun
  • Tests get built around actual user behavior, like scroll depth or device, instead of guesses based on age or location.
    — Karan Sharma, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Points were awarded for correct guesses, and a league table was used to track the standings.
    — The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of guesses
Noun
  • The $130 billion Indian wedding market is one of luxury’s biggest opportunities.
    — Sujata Assomull, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The rise of agents brings new risks and, in turn, new opportunities for Palo Alto.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of opportunities
Noun
  • After surviving a ferocious first half to trail only 13-12, the All Blacks' resolve hardened by new coach Dave Rennie and age-old ability to produce something from nothing turned a tense contest into a rout by five tries to South Africa's one.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • As Lucarelli closed in on 2,000 tries over the weekend, Oswalt ran the math in his head.
    — Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tries

Phrases Containing shots

Browse Nearby Words

shot in the dark
shots
shots in the arm
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Cite this Entry

“Shots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shots. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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