Long shot vs Underdog

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Long shot

Informal Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Underdog

Top 2,000 (common) B1 noun

Most formal: Underdog Most common: Underdog

	Long shot	Underdog
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //lɒŋ ʃɒt// 🇺🇸 //lɔŋ ʃɑt//	🇬🇧 //ˈʌndəˌdɒg// 🇺🇸 //ˈʌndərˌdɔg//
Meaning	An unlikely chance of success.	A person or team that is expected to lose but may win.
Example	Winning the lottery is a real long shot.	In the championship game, the underdog surprised everyone by winning.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 5,000 (fairly common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	-	B1
Part of speech		noun
Collocations	a long shot, take a long shot, long shot at, long shot candidate	cheer for an underdog, be an underdog, underdog mentality
Antonyms	-	favorite, champion
Common mistakes	Confused with 'shot' in a photographic context., Used too formally, such as in business contexts., Misunderstanding the meaning as something positive.	Confusion about whether 'underdog' can refer to situations outside of competition., Using 'underdog' for someone who is not disadvantaged in a context., Misunderstanding 'underdog' as always winning instead of just being expected to lose.
Usage notes	Use 'long shot' in casual conversations or storytelling when discussing unlikely situations. Avoid in formal writing.	Used in contexts like sports or competition. It's not appropriate when discussing scenarios without a competitive element.

See it in real clips

One. That's a bit of a long shot, isn't it?

How I Met Your Mother › S1 E1

I know this is a long shot, but how about tomorrow night?

One. That's a bit of a long shot, isn't it?

How I Met Your Mother › S1 E1

I know this is a long shot, but how about tomorrow night?

Long shot

Frequently asked questions: Long shot vs Underdog

What's the difference between Long shot and Underdog?

Long shot: An unlikely chance of success. Underdog: A person or team that is expected to lose but may win.

Which is more formal: Long shot and Underdog?

Underdog is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Long shot and Underdog?

Underdog is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Long shot: Winning the lottery is a real long shot. Underdog: In the championship game, the underdog surprised everyone by winning.

Can I use Long shot and Underdog interchangeably?

Not always. Long shot and Underdog are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.