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Etymology Journal ยท S

Shoot for the moon

Meaning

To set high goals or to try to achieve something very ambitious. It encourages aiming for the best possible outcome.

Encouraging, ambitious

Used in a sentence

  • You should shoot for the moon with your career plans.
  • Even if it is a long shot, always shoot for the moon.
  • She decided to shoot for the moon and applied to every top university.

The backstory

Rooted in the aspiration of space travel and the monumental difficulty of reaching the moon. It implies that even if you miss, you land among the stars.

Heard in

Nationwide

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