What does "one-shot" mean?
A television program, film, or comic book that is not part of a series.
One-shot
adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A television program, film, or comic book that is not part of a series.
- Grammar: one-shot is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: most unrepeatable, one-off, single instance, single moment.
- Useful contrasts: incremental budget, incremental rollout, iterative.
- Usage evidence: The United States is donating 17 million doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the African Union, bringing the total American donation to the continent to 67 million doses.
How to use "one-shot"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "one-shot" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "one-shot" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "one-shot" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "one-shot" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "one-shot" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "most unrepeatable" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "one-shot", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A television program, film, or comic book that is not part of a series.
"And with the added bonuses of color and videotape coupled with the disadvantages of higher production costs, a lot of syndie producers forsook weekly series in favor of one-shot specials — and it didn't take long for the airwaves to become thick with one-shots."
- 2 A cinematographic shot of a person talking to camera; a talking head.
"The smaller frame means that Hill uses a lot of tight one-shots, mixed in with more expressive images like an endless sea of skaters fleeing from cops or a slow push-in on Stevie and Ian having an uncomfortable conversation while playing video games on their couch."
- 3 A monostable multivibrator.
"The monostable multivibrator, or one-shot, is designed to generate controllable-duration pulses when triggered by the rising or falling edge of a trigger clock."
- 4 A programmable interval timer.
"After peak detection, the processed pulses operate a one-shot circuit which gives a fixed pulse width of 230 ms."
- 5 Something that occurs only once; a one-off.
"Some ideas are one-shots."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A music sample that is played without immediate repetition.
"Loops automatically conform to a project's tempo; one-shots ignore the tempo and maintain a fixed duration. One-shots are files, such as a percussion hit or a sound effect, that are not intended to be looped."
- 7 A fanfic of only one chapter. slang
- 8 A single appearance by a performer.
"Imagine, then, all those disciplined, hard-working, up-and-coming actors, desperately eager to land a consistent job in a nighttime series or daytime soap, but grateful for one-shots, under-five-liners (minimum pay), or even walk-ons."
- 9 A gun that must be reloaded after firing a single shot.
"He also knew where Bell hid his derringer, knew it was in his sleeve instead of his belt or his boot. And he had spotted the tiny one-shot in his coat pocket, which no one ever noticed."
- 10 A product that is sold on its own, rather than as part of a line of products.
"The inexpensive one-shots still make up a minuscule part of the market, but they are getting attention."
- 11 A player that can be killed in a single hit.
Verb
- 1 Alternative form of oneshot alt-of, alternative
Adjective
- 1 Needing only a single attempt to become effective. not-comparable
"A one-shot solution to financial problems"
- 2 Unique; occurring only once. not-comparable
"The most effective way to adapt to changing circumstances would be to enter into one-shot deals that would leave the party the freedom to enter into subsequent transactions or not, depending on the then-current circumstances."
- 3 Performing all the necessary steps on every occurrence, rather than relying on previous setup. not-comparable
"Whether a window is one-shot or not makes little difference from the perspective of the programmer. A one-shot window costs more to make visible but uses less memory when it is not being displayed."
- 4 Measuring something at a single point in time, with no control group. not-comparable
"Analysts typically conduct one-shot case studies on unique events of history."
- 5 Pertaining to a single shot.; Involving a single gunshot. not-comparable
"Now the best shooters in the world fired the best rifle in the world, one-shot/one-kill out to one thousand meters."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Pertaining to a single shot.; Holding 1.5 ounces. not-comparable
"Here it was sucked from tiny one-shot bottles wrapped in coarse paper, taken between drafts of good East German beer."
- 7 Pertaining to a single shot.; Involving a single act of launching a ball. not-comparable
"Ask anyone — golf writers, designers, players —and they all agree the coolest thing about the one-shot hole is — you can complete it in one shot."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The United States is donating 17 million doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the African Union, bringing the total American donation to the continent to 67 million doses."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "one-shot"?
Common synonyms include: most unrepeatable, one-off, single instance, single moment, single pull, single push.
How do you use "one-shot" in a sentence?
The United States is donating 17 million doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the African Union, bringing the total American donation to the continent to 67 million doses.