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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shots
Or a full montage of kill shots by his starting right tackle.
—
Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Foster had 20 points for the Blue Devils, who made 17 of 24 shots and 10 of 16 from the line after halftime.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
The fourth quarter was really rough for the Heat, which missed 10 of its first 11 shots in the period.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
The Jayhawks made timely shots, but the Horned Frogs were their own worst enemies with critical mistakes down the stretch.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
Andrew Copp, Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Michael Rasmussen also scored, while John Gibson stopped 35 shots.
—CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
Sabonis missed five of his first six shots while being guarded by Gobert, a 7-foot-1 center with four Defensive Player of the Year awards.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Many times, the first few cold shots of the winter can yield impressive lake effect snow since the lake waters are still relatively mild and can supply plenty of moisture to produce snow.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Even when cropped so that the lunar disc filled the centre of the frame, the shots remained in detail with sharp contrast.
—Harry Bennett, Space.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shots
Noun
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Medical associations sued to challenge Kennedy’s changes to COVID vaccine guidance and ACIP firings last year on these grounds.—
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The end of the NFL regular season has brought the annual slew of head coach firings.—
Noun
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Even on low volume from deep (seven attempts), that’s a recipe for offensive success, and it was reflected in Mizzou’s 50 first-half points.—
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Her clarion voice slices through the show’s labored attempts to be both fable and fabulous.—
Noun
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Federal court records in that case identify the ICE officer Jonathan Ross as witness in the case and include photos of his injuries.—
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Users can also upload personal artwork or photos through a simple mobile website, without installing apps or relying on cloud services.—
Noun
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When the doors pop open, expect a menu that includes Florida stone crab and oyster shooters, along with caviar service, hot and chilled small plates and handhelds.—
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Finch has focused on putting Gobert in more actions, including catching the ball in the pocket and making passes out to 3-point shooters, all in an effort to increase the big man’s effectiveness on offense.—
Noun
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Brunch, cocktails, pasta and sushi are all on the way, along with African cuisine, Middle Eastern sips, seafood and steaks.—
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While Sherry is often associated with grandmas who have a penchant for cloyingly sweet sips, the reality is, most of the best Sherry is dry—including Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso, and Palo Cortado.—
Noun
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But conclusions are guesses, not guides.—
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Those are all good guesses, because who else would carry that amount of cash in a shoebox and wait on a main street to hand it over to a complete stranger?—
Noun
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The mission was to show the flag, explore commercial opportunities – including routes to supply gold-mining operations – and display a little firepower.—
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Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine Located about a 90-minute drive north of Bangor, this International Dark Sky Sanctuary is the perfect stargazing destination for outdoor lovers, with plenty of hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and kayaking opportunities for visitors.—
Noun
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After an all-too-easy blowout over the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, the Bills won a single road game over their next four tries, including losses to the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins.—
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Golden State continued to create separation in the fourth quarter, holding a double-digit lead for much of the fourth and cruising to a win, their sixth in their last eight tries.—
Cite this Entry
“Shots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shots. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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