Practice
A shot in the dark: meaning and use in English
Sign in to saveA teammate cannot remember a visitor's name and says, "Is it Nadia? That is a shot in the dark." The teammate means it is a guess without enough information to support it.
Understand a shot in the dark as a guess made with little information, and choose direct language when accuracy or evidence matters.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
It was a shot in the dark. /ɪt wəz ə ʃɒt ɪn ðə dɑːk/
The short answer
A shot in the dark is a guess with little evidence or information behind it. Use the idiom for an uncertain attempt, not for a fact that has been checked.
Choosing Tuesday was a shot in the dark because nobody had seen the schedule.
Why it works: The choice was made without the information needed to support it.
5 more examples
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My answer was a shot in the dark because I had not read the report.
The speaker had little information before answering.
Not this:My answer came from the
figures in the report. What changes: The answer has stated evidence, so the idiom is less suitable. -
The team took a shot in the dark and tried a different password.
The team made an uncertain attempt without knowing whether it would work.
Not this:The team reset the password through the
account recovery page. What changes: This is a defined process, not a guess. -
Naming the street was only a shot in the dark.
Only shows that the speaker does not claim to know the answer.
Not this:Naming the street matched the
address on the receipt. What changes: The receipt provides a reason for the answer. -
Her prediction was a shot in the dark, not a forecast based on data.
The prediction lacks the information that supports a forecast.
Not this:Her forecast used last year's
sales data. What changes: The forecast is based on identified information. -
Without the instructions, selecting that setting would be a shot in the dark.
The instructions are the missing information needed to choose safely.
Not this:The instructions
identified the correct setting. What changes: The choice can now be based on the instructions.
Read the full guide
Look for a missing answer, a weak clue, or a situation where someone has to choose without evidence. The idiom describes the quality of the guess, not a real shot and not a deliberate plan based on facts.
Recognize a guess with little information
Use the idiom when a person guesses because useful information is missing. The guess may turn out to be right, but the speaker cannot show a strong reason for it.
Guessing the delivery time would be a shot in the dark.
The speaker lacks the details needed to make a supported estimate.
Does a shot in the dark mean a checked answer?
No. It means a guess made with little information.
Use common sentence patterns
You can say it was a shot in the dark, take a shot in the dark, or make a shot in the dark. The noun phrase usually follows a or the because shot is countable.
I took a shot in the dark and chose the second option.
Took a shot in the dark describes an uncertain choice.
Complete the phrase: It was ___ shot in the dark.
Use a: It was a shot in the dark.
Separate a guess from evidence
A clue, record, or measurement can give a guess some support. When you know the source of an answer, name it. This makes the reader or listener understand why the answer is reasonable.
The estimate came from the repair record.
The repair record is named evidence, so the statement is more than an unexplained guess.
What should you name when you have evidence?
Name the clue, record, result, or other information that supports the answer.
Choose a careful tone
The idiom is common in relaxed conversation. It may sound too casual when a decision affects health, safety, money, or another serious matter. In those cases, explain the uncertainty and ask for the information you need.
We do not have enough information to confirm the cause.
This direct sentence states the limit without making the issue sound casual.
Is the idiom a good substitute for evidence in a safety report?
No. State the known facts and the missing information directly.
Keep the expression figurative
A shot in the dark is figurative when it means a guess. If a sentence describes a real action involving a weapon or danger, use literal language and do not rely on the idiom.
Her answer was a shot in the dark, but it was correct.
The sentence describes an uncertain answer, not a physical shot.
What does the idiom describe in this sentence: an action or an uncertain answer?
It describes an uncertain answer.
Before you go
Remember this
A shot in the dark is a guess made with very little information. It is figurative and often informal. Use it when you want to describe uncertainty honestly, but give the known facts directly when the decision needs evidence.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "A shot in the dark: meaning and use in English"
What does a shot in the dark mean?
A shot in the dark means a guess or attempt made with very little information. The speaker does not have a strong reason to expect success. The phrase is figurative and often used in casual conversation.
My answer was a shot in the dark because I had not read the report.
Can a shot in the dark be correct?
Yes. A guess can be correct by chance, but the idiom still says that the person did not have enough information to support it. The phrase describes the basis for the guess, not the final result.
My answer came from the figures in the report.
How do I use a shot in the dark in a sentence?
You can say that something was a shot in the dark, that someone took a shot in the dark, or that someone made a shot in the dark. Use a before the singular noun phrase in ordinary sentences.
The team took a shot in the dark and tried a different password.
Is a shot in the dark formal English?
It is usually informal or conversational. It may be fine when friends or colleagues discuss a low-risk guess. In a formal report, explain the evidence, the uncertainty, and any information that is still missing.
The team reset the password through the account recovery page.
What can I say instead of a shot in the dark?
You can say guess, estimate, unsupported suggestion, or uncertain attempt. Choose the word that tells the listener how much information is available. In a serious situation, name the source of information or say what evidence is missing.
Naming the street was only a shot in the dark.