Hail Mary
noun
plural Hail Marys
1
: a Roman Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary that consists of salutations and a plea for her intercession
2
or less commonly Hail Mary pass
: a long forward pass in football thrown into or near the end zone in a last-ditch attempt to score as time runs out
—often used figuratively
The only potential cure is a stem-cell transplant, when you take somebody else's immune system and put it into yours. But right now that's kind of a Hail Mary pass.—
Douglas Cote, quoted in Bicycling
Douglas Cote, quoted in BicyclingExamples of Hail Mary in a Sentence
He threw up a Hail Mary at the end of the first half.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bead two, for J.P. (the dumpster diving expert and teacher) Hail Mary, full of grace….
—Judy Knotts, Austin American-Statesman, 27 Dec. 2024
Whether Daniels throws a Hail Mary touchdown or must overcome a mistake, his vibe comes across like a person waiting in line to order a burrito bowl at Chipotle.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
The holiday season has been full of Hail Mary attempts from ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of social media app TikTok.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2024
The original bill passed the Senate early Saturday morning in a last-ditch Hail Mary as improbable as Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels’s game-winning throw to beat the Chicago Bears earlier this year.
—Jack Birle, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Dec. 2024
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Judy Knotts, Austin American-Statesman, 27 Dec. 2024
Whether Daniels throws a Hail Mary touchdown or must overcome a mistake, his vibe comes across like a person waiting in line to order a burrito bowl at Chipotle.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
The holiday season has been full of Hail Mary attempts from ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of social media app TikTok.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2024
The original bill passed the Senate early Saturday morning in a last-ditch Hail Mary as improbable as Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels’s game-winning throw to beat the Chicago Bears earlier this year.
—Jack Birle, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for Hail Mary
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Cite this Entry
“Hail Mary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hail%20Mary. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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