crapshoot

noun

crap·​shoot ˈkrap-ˌshüt How to pronounce crapshoot (audio)
Synonyms of crapshootnext
: something (such as a business venture) that has an unpredictable outcome

Examples of crapshoot in a Sentence

there are almost no sure bets in the movie business—almost everything is a crapshoot
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
How exactly are families with children supposed to plan air travel in the midst of a chaotic airport environment with the aforementioned crapshoot decision? Beth Collums, AJC.com, 3 Apr. 2026 But that other supplier would have to try to reverse engineer that particular dye—formulas for dyes and colorants were, in spite of being in service to the war effort, still proprietary—and backward engineering color from a finished product is a crapshoot. Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026 But that other supplier would have to try to reverse engineer that particular dye — formulas for dyes and colorants were, in spite of being in service to the war effort, still proprietary — and backward engineering color from a finished product is a crapshoot. Kory Stamper, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 That’s always a crapshoot on set. Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crapshoot

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crapshoot was in 1971

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Cite this Entry

“Crapshoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crapshoot. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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