Jackpot — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈjak-ˌpät/ jack·pot

Meaning & Definition of Jackpot

Jackpot (noun)

  1. the top prize in a game or contest (such as a lottery) that is typically a large fund of money formed by the accumulation of unwon prizes
  2. a hand or game of draw poker in which a pair of jacks or better is required to open
  3. a large pot (as in poker) formed by the accumulation of stakes from previous play

Jackpot (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape

    "a wily dude who managed to get himself out of one jackpot after another"

    similar: bind, box, catch-22, corner, dilemma, fix, hole, impasse, jam, mire, pickle, predicament, quagmire, rabbit hole, rattrap, spot, sticky wicket, swamp, kettle of fish
    related: difficulty, node, hot water, soup, pinch, plight, quandary, scrape, trouble, deadlock, halt, logjam, stalemate, standstill, clutch, crisis, crossroad, emergency, exigency, juncture, strait

  2. the total of the bets at stake at one time

    "once the jackpot hit $100 million, everybody and his cousin was buying lottery tickets"

    similar: jack, pool, pot
    related: fund, kitty, bet, stake, wager

Related Entry: Hit (verb)

Hit is a different word from Jackpot. The synonyms below are for hit, not for jackpot.

  1. to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner

    "a good carpenter hits a nail just two or three times to drive it in"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, belt, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, tag, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap, hang one on
    related: batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, lace, lambaste, lick, mangle, maul, pelt, pepper, pommel, pummel, rough, scuff, bunt, flick, stroke, tap, bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp, bowl (down or over), cream, deck, dump (slang), fell, floor, knock down, level, rabbit-punch, sucker punch, cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip, bean, brain, conk, skull

  2. to come into usually forceful contact with something

    "when she fell on the ice, she hit hard and badly bruised her elbow"

    similar: bang, bash, bump, collide, crash, impact, impinge, knock, ram, slam, smash, strike, swipe, thud
    related: bounce, carom, clunk, glance, rebound, ricochet, skim, skip, contact, land, touch, brush, graze, kiss, nudge, scrape, shave, sweep, bulldoze, jostle, muscle, press, push
    near: miss, skirt

  3. to obtain (as a goal) through effort

    "the rock band hit the big time with their third album"

    similar: achieve, attain, bag, chalk up, clock (up) (chiefly British), gain, log, make, notch (up), rack up, ring up, score, win
    related: acquire, capture, carry, draw, garner, get, land, obtain, procure, realize, secure, amount (to), approach, equal, match, measure up (to), meet, rival, tie, touch, beat, excel, outdo, surpass, top
    near: fall short (of), miss, fail (at), lose

Related Entry: Hit (on or upon) (verb)

Hit (on or upon) is a different word from Jackpot. The synonyms below are for hit (on or upon), not for jackpot.

  1. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "the doctor finally hit on what was wrong with the pain-wracked woman"

    similar: ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, find out, get, hunt (down or up), learn, locate, nose out, root (out), rout (out), rummage, run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down), turn up
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

Related Entry: Hit (up) (verb)

Hit (up) is a different word from Jackpot. The synonyms below are for hit (up), not for jackpot.

  1. to make a request of

    "she's always hitting me up for money"

    similar: ask, request, solicit, call on
    related: appeal (to), beg, beseech, conjure, entreat, implore, importune, invite, invoke, petition, plead (to), pray, supplicate, demand, enjoin, exact, press, require
    near: coerce, compel, constrain, force, oblige, require

Related Entry: Hit (upon) (verb)

Hit (upon) is a different word from Jackpot. The synonyms below are for hit (upon), not for jackpot.

  1. to come upon unexpectedly or by chance

    "the popular belief that Sir Isaac Newton hit upon his understanding of gravity at the sight of an apple falling from a tree"

    similar: chance (upon), encounter, find, happen (on or upon), light (on or upon), meet, pitch (upon), stumble (on or onto), tumble (upon), bump into, come across, run across, run against, run into, run upon
    related: luck (out, on, onto, or into), confront, face, discover, strike, turn up

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Jackpot

The most common words with a similar meaning to Jackpot:

bind, box, catch-22, corner, dilemma, fix, hole, impasse, jam, mire, pickle, predicament, quagmire, rabbit hole, rattrap, spot, sticky wicket, swamp, jack, pool, pot, kettle of fish

Related Words for Jackpot

difficulty, node, hot water, soup, pinch, plight, quandary, scrape, trouble, deadlock, halt, logjam, stalemate, standstill, clutch, crisis, crossroad, emergency, exigency, juncture, strait, fund, kitty, bet, stake, wager

Origin & Etymology of Jackpot

First known use: 1865

Words & Phrases Containing Jackpot

hit the jackpot

Frequently Asked Questions about Jackpot

What does "Jackpot" mean?

"Jackpot" means the top prize in a game or contest (such as a lottery) that is typically a large fund of money formed by the accumulation of unwon prizes. As a noun, it is defined as: the top prize in a game or contest (such as a lottery) that is typically a large fund of money formed by the accumulation of unwon prizes. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Jackpot"?

Other words for "Jackpot" include bind, box, catch-22, corner, dilemma, fix, hole and impasse. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Jackpot" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Jackpot"?

There are 48 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Jackpot". Common alternatives include bind, box, catch-22, corner, dilemma, fix, hole, impasse, jam and mire.

How do you use "Jackpot" in a sentence?

Examples of "Jackpot" in a sentence: "a wily dude who managed to get himself out of one jackpot after another"; "once the jackpot hit $100 million, everybody and his cousin was buying lottery tickets".

Is "Jackpot" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Jackpot" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Jackpot"?

"Jackpot" is pronounced /ˈjak-ˌpät/ and divided into syllables as jack·pot.

What is the origin of the word "Jackpot"?

First known use: 1865.

What is another word for "Jackpot" meaning "a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape"?

When "Jackpot" (noun) means a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape, synonyms include bind, box, catch-22, corner, dilemma and fix.