shoo-in

IPA/ˈʃuː ɪn/
IPA/ˈʃuː ɪn/

shoo-in — noun

1. An entrant considered all but guaranteed to prevail in a contest — for example,

1.名詞B2
釋義

An entrant considered all but guaranteed to prevail in a contest — for example, a politician who leads in every opinion survey, or a squad that has convincingly beaten every recent opponent.

例句

After leading every opinion poll, Dr. Okonkwo was a shoo-in for the Senate seat.

be a shoo-in for [position] — target role after preposition

The defending champion is no shoo-in — three younger players have beaten her this season.

no shoo-in (negated form shows uncertainty)

同義詞
  • favorite

    broader and more common; a favorite is expected to win but is not considered an absolute certainty — 'shoo-in' implies the outcome is virtually beyond doubt

  • frontrunner

    focuses on current leading position rather than guaranteed outcome; a frontrunner can still be overtaken, while a shoo-in cannot

  • sure thing

    similar level of certainty but can refer to plans, investments, or outcomes, not just people — 'shoo-in' is specifically about a person or team in a competition

反義詞
  • underdog

    a contestant expected to lose, the opposite of a shoo-in

  • long shot

    a competitor with very little chance of winning

文法句型

be a shoo-in for [position/prize]

be a shoo-in to [win/succeed]

用法筆記

Used almost exclusively in the singular form with the indefinite article 'a'. Common in informal political commentary, sports reporting, and any context where a clear frontrunner has emerged. The noun refers to the person or team itself, not to the victory — you would not say 'the election was a shoo-in' (see Common Mistakes).

常見錯誤

❌The election was a shoo-in for the candidate.
✅The candidate was a shoo-in for the election.
💡'shoo-in' describes the person/team who wins, not the event itself.
❌He is a shoo-in winning the prize.
✅He is a shoo-in to win the prize.
💡after 'shoo-in', use 'to + infinitive' or 'for + noun', not a gerund.
❌She is a shoo-in candidate.
✅She is a shoo-in.
💡'shoo-in' is already a noun meaning 'the certain winner'; adding 'candidate' is redundant.