crapshoot

crapshoot
noun
crap·;shoot ;krap-;sh;t
Synonyms of crapshoot
: something (such as a business venture) that has an unpredictable outcome

Synonyms
gamble
venture
speculation
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. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Florida’s defense is just as good as Auburn’s — and Florida's offense is a country mile better than Auburn’s one-dimensional crapshoot.
—Matt Hayes, USA TODAY, 10 Oct. 2025
That ratio underscores a longstanding truth: Sundance has always been a crapshoot.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Awards are a real crapshoot, for lack of a better term.
—Jeff Conway, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
While Richard Childress Racing drivers have won the past four season openers at the track, the summer night race has been a bit more of a crapshoot, including Jeremy Clements winning here in 2022, one of just two career wins for Clements in 520 Xfinity Series starts.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025

Word History
First Known Use
1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crapshoot was in 1971
See more words from the same year