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Glite Dictionary
to take potshots at

to take potshots at

5 8.1
To make quick, unfair critical remarks about someone or their ideas
  • phrasal verb
  • Offensive
: criticar a alguien
  • They were only opportunists sent in to make things worse and take potshots at foreign coalition troops wherever possible.
  • taking potshots at people

I think, you know, you hear people taking potshots at priests for being celibate or being pedophiles or being insane or whatever.

Examples

  • In this blog, Terry will never miss an opportunity to assail political correctness or take potshots at the conventional foolishness.

    Blog text (12)

  • The Colonel put together a huge premiere in New York City, but when the movie opened, some film critics took potshots at my acting.

    This Is Elvis (1981)

  • A lot of people are going to want to take potshots at you and so on.

  • Let him take potshots at me.

    American Splendor (2003)

  • I have noticed that you like to parachute in and take potshots at others.

    Blog text (5)

  • If that happens, we'll have more than the occasional pirate gang lining up to take potshots at us.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • I guess the Governor will sit back and display his usual lack of leadership and take potshots at the implementation of Obamacare instead of working for a smooth transition.

    Blog text (5)

  • I'll admit I was wrong about the Ruby MySQL connector, but really I was just taking potshots at Jeff because it's fun.

    Blog text (7)

  • Menjabin takes potshots at gender self-consciousness and hypocrisy in a post-feminist world.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Some bloggers love to take potshots at celebrities without any proof of their claims.

Synonyms

to laugh at
vsto take potshots at
  • Offensive
574 2.0

To make fun of someone in a mean way to show they are silly

is often quicker and casually mean rather than sustained scorn
to pick on
vsto take potshots at
  • Informal
201 3.5

To say mean things to someone again and again because they seem weaker

is often occasional and casual rather than repeated targeting or bullying
to joke about
vsto take potshots at
140 2.9

Say something funny, often unkind, about someone or something

is more likely to be unfair and hurtful rather than harmless light joking
to ridicule
vsto take potshots at
  • Offensive
90 4.6

To make someone look silly in a mean way so others laugh at them

is often more casual and less contemptuous than outright mockery
to take down
vsto take potshots at
  • Informal
82 5.1

To say cruel things to make people think less of someone

is more casual and brief criticism rather than aiming to humiliate or destroy status
to scoff
vsto take potshots at
80 6.5

To say or do things to show you do not respect someone

is more casual and sometimes unfair rather than openly scornful
to knock
vsto take potshots at
  • Informal
34 5.3

To criticize someone or something without a good reason

is more casual and mocking than general unfair criticism
to poke fun
vsto take potshots at
  • Offensive
30 3.9

To make jokes about someone to make them look silly

is more often casual or unfair rather than focused on making someone seem silly
to poke fun at
vsto take potshots at
  • Offensive
26 3.4

To make jokes about someone, sometimes to be playful and sometimes to be unkind

is more likely to be casual and unfair rather than gentle playful joking
to jab at
vsto take potshots at
  • Informal
12 6.4

To make a short teasing or critical comment about someone

tends to be casual and unfair rather than especially quick or pointed
to pick at
vsto take potshots at
10 5.7

Keep finding small faults in someone or their ideas

is more sudden and brief rather than slow repeated petty faultfinding
to snipe
vsto take potshots at
5 7.7

To criticize someone in a sly, indirect way

is more openly casual and often blunt rather than sly or indirect
to make game of
vsto take potshots at
  • Offensive
4 8.0

Laugh at someone or treat something serious as a joke

focuses on casual unfair remarks rather than making serious things seem trivial
to slur
vsto take potshots at
  • Offensive
2 7.7

To say insulting things about someone to harm their reputation

is usually more casual and less clearly offensive than a direct character attack
to take the mickey
vsto take potshots at
  • Slang
1 9.1

To tease someone by making jokes about them in a friendly way

is often more unfair and sharp rather than light and friendly joking
to hit out at
vsto take potshots at
  • UK
1 6.7

To criticize someone or something strongly in public

is usually quieter and casual rather than strong public attacks
to throw brickbats
vsto take potshots at
  • Literature
1 8.9

Attack someone with strong words in public

is more casual and informal than harsh public condemnation or attack
to take a sideswipe at
vsto take potshots at
  • Offensive
1 8.1

To make a short indirect critical remark about someone

is usually quick and casual rather than indirect or passing
to take the pee out of
vsto take potshots at
  • Offensive
9.9

Tease someone by making jokes about them

is usually more casual and critical rather than mainly playful teasing

Antonyms

compliment
300 1.6

A polite remark that praises someone or something

praise
220 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

How Harsh

to lambaste
3 8.0
to deride
25 7.8
mock
  • Offensive
10 5.5
to take potshots at
  • Offensive
5 8.1
to criticize
653 3.3

Surface Forms

take potshots at infinitive
taking potshots at present participle
takes potshots at third person singular
took potshots at past
taken potshots at past participle

Morphology

take + potshot + at

If a learner knows the noun 'potshot' as 'a thoughtless attack or criticism', the verb 'take' plus the preposition 'at' composes straightforwardly to mean directing such attacks at someone. The pattern is grammatically regular (take X at Y = direct X toward Y) and aligns with cross-linguistic ways of expressing making casual criticisms, so the meaning is derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Take potshots at comes from shooting: a potshot was an easy, quick shot at an animal or target without careful aim. So, to take potshots at someone means to give quick, unfair 'criticisms' instead of fair, careful comments.