shot in the dark
A guess, attempt, or choice made with little or no evidence or knowledge.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I do not know the answer, so it is just a shot in the dark.”
“I had never visited the city before, so picking a restaurant was just a shot in the dark.”
“Without any data to support his hypothesis, the scientist admitted his proposal was merely a shot in the dark.”
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big shot
A person with a reputation of importance or power.
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chip shot
Something that is easy to do or to achieve.
- 03
dark cloud
A situation or future event that causes worry, problems or unhappiness, likened to such a cloud overhead in the sky.
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dark horse
Someone who possesses talents or favorable characteristics that are not known or expected by others.
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give it one's best shot
To make one's best effort or attempt; to try as hard as possible.
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long shot
Something unlikely; something that has little chance of happening or working; long odds
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look on the dark side
To examine a situation, usually unfavorable, from a negative perspective; to be pessimistic or miserable.
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oh dark hundred
Some unspecified hour in the early morning (implies an unpleasant time to be awake)
Last updated August 10, 2026