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moonshot

moonshot

1 7.4
A very ambitious and risky project that may fail
  • noun
  • /ˈmuːnʃɑt/
translation icon : proyecto ambicioso
  • Bob's moonshot is a hobby, and hobbies need no explanation, just some funds to kick them along.
  • moonshot project
  • moonshot factory
  • Google's moonshot

But this situation right here might be one of those once in a lifetime moonshots, you know, where people are really being accelerated through so much.

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Examples

  • Apple is still far from its moonshot goal of creating all of its products from renewable and recyclable materials.

  • BlueRock Therapeutics, a moonshot project from pharma giant Bayer and Versant Ventures, caught widespread attention when it launched in 2016.

  • The next phrase for gold now is a moonshot price rise, and people will wish they had bought gold at $1,160.

    Blog text (13)
  • Seems these high risk moonshots does not seem to pay off these days because there's.

  • And so the ability to take these moonshots are here because of these exponential technologies.

  • But this situation right here might be one of those once in a lifetime moonshots, you know, where people are really being accelerated through so much.

  • Lion Capital: This is a moonshot among long-shots, but I'd be remiss in not including Lion as part of any list of private equity firms on a food deal.

    Blog text (6)
  • These biotech moonshots never live up to the hype, but Bruce thinks since he's funded some successful apps, he's smart enough to divine the future of the human body.

  • "Like any moonshot, you have to think of time as a factor," Mr. Rubin said.

Synonyms

venture
vsmoonshot
271 5.1

A business or project that involves risk and possible loss

is narrower and highlights bold ambition and high chance of failure
enterprise
vsmoonshot
66 4.9

A project that is difficult and needs a lot of work

stresses higher risk and innovation leading to possible failure
long shot
vsmoonshot
  • Informal
58 4.6

An unlikely attempt that is still worth trying

emphasizes ambitious innovation rather than only low success probability
mission impossible
vsmoonshot
  • Informal
3 7.2

A task that is so difficult people think it cannot be done

focuses more on bold innovation and ambition than sheer impossibility
risky venture
vsmoonshot
1 4.6

An activity or plan that may fail and cause a big loss

focuses more on ambitious innovation and likely failure than risk alone
moon shot
vsmoonshot
7.9

A very ambitious project that is unlikely to succeed

is the identical idea but written as a single word

How Ambitious

moonshot
1 7.4
ambitious
84 3.9
bold
257 2.7
project
2.5

Surface Forms

moonshot singular
moonshots plural

Morphology

moonshot = moon + shot (semi-transparent) = moon + shot

The components 'moon' and 'shot' are clear, but the sense 'ambitious project' is a metaphorical extension from literal attempts to reach the Moon, so the meaning is not directly predictable by simple composition.

Etymology

Moonshot comes from the idea of going to the moon and a big shot or 'attempt' to reach it during the space race. So a moonshot today is a very bold, risky project or goal that may fail but could bring big rewards.