potshot
1 of 2noun
pot·shot ˈpät-ˌshät 
1
: a shot taken from ambush or at a random or easy target
2
: a critical remark made in a random or sporadic manner
potshot
2 of 2verb
potshot; potshotting
intransitive verb
: to take a potshot
transitive verb
: to attack or shoot with a potshot
Synonyms
Verb
- abuse
- assail
- attack
- bash
- belabor
- blast
- castigate
- excoriate
- jump (on)
- lambaste
- lambast
- savage
- scathe
- slam
- trash
- vituperate
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun A sniper was on the roof taking potshots at passing cars. Verb ended the show with an extended rant in which he potshot an array of personages on the right
Recent Examples on the Web
James Pindell, BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2022 In 1993, a jokester did the same thing, although there was no Cash silhouette to take a potshot at back then. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 Aleksandar Trajkovski barrelled into the Italian defense and took a speculative potshot from 20 yards, only to find the bottom corner of the Italian goal. Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 24 Mar. 2022 But there’s also a deep rabbit hole of older Orson depictions out there, most delivered in playful, potshot fashion. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2021 Jon Voight's Christmas card list thanks to an endorsement of Joe Biden that included a potshot at his costar. Clark Collis, EW.com, 3 Nov. 2020 Koepka’s potshot at Johnson broke every gentleman’s rule in golf. Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 9 Aug. 2020 On the flip side is Trevor Bauer, who embraces radical training methods and loves to take verbal potshots at everyone — fellow players and the commissioner included — without regard to the consequences. Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 17 Mar. 2020 Relocating Dürrenmatt’s tragicomic fable from middle Europe to a dying factory town in upstate New York in the mid-1950s has allowed him to take uncharacteristically crude potshots at all-American consumerism. Ben Brantley, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2020 See More
Noun
Republican leaders, always happy to take a potshot, have argued there was a direct line between American weakness in Afghanistan and Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine. James Pindell, BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2022 In 1993, a jokester did the same thing, although there was no Cash silhouette to take a potshot at back then. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 Aleksandar Trajkovski barrelled into the Italian defense and took a speculative potshot from 20 yards, only to find the bottom corner of the Italian goal. Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 24 Mar. 2022 But there’s also a deep rabbit hole of older Orson depictions out there, most delivered in playful, potshot fashion. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2021 Jon Voight's Christmas card list thanks to an endorsement of Joe Biden that included a potshot at his costar. Clark Collis, EW.com, 3 Nov. 2020 Koepka’s potshot at Johnson broke every gentleman’s rule in golf. Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 9 Aug. 2020 On the flip side is Trevor Bauer, who embraces radical training methods and loves to take verbal potshots at everyone — fellow players and the commissioner included — without regard to the consequences. Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 17 Mar. 2020 Relocating Dürrenmatt’s tragicomic fable from middle Europe to a dying factory town in upstate New York in the mid-1950s has allowed him to take uncharacteristically crude potshots at all-American consumerism. Ben Brantley, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
from the notion that such a shot is unsportsmanlike and worthy only of one whose object is to fill the cooking pot
First Known Use
Noun
1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1913, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
potshot 1 of 2
verb
as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly ended the show with an extended rant in which he potshot an array of personages on the right Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- attack
- slam
- scold
- insult
- abuse
- criticize
- lambaste
- savage
- lambast
- blast
- bash
- assail
- vituperate
- excoriate
- castigate
- scathe
- trash
- sail into
- berate
- harangue
- harass
- tie into
- curse
- belabor
- light into
- reprimand
- slur
- affront
- beat up on
- slander
- vilify
- blackguard
- harry
- chide
- asperse
- profane
- disparage
- belittle
- libel
- revile
- rebuke
- blaspheme
- chastise
- jump (on)
- whip
- execrate
- fulminate
- bad-mouth
- imprecate
- traduce
- put down
- lace (into)
- lash (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- compliment
- hail
- commend
- praise
- laud
- acclaim
potshot
2 of 2noun
as in salvo
Synonyms & Similar Words
- salvo
- barrage
- volley
- fusillade
- bombardment
- hail
- blitzkrieg
- broadside
- burst
- blitz
- shower
- cannonade
- drumfire
- firing
- blasting
- storm
- shot
- discharge