shoo-in

English

Alternative forms

• shoo in
• shoe-in, shoe in (misspelling)

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

shoo-in (plural shoo-ins)

1. (horse racing) The winner of a fixed race, a fixed race.
   • 1950, Baltimore Sun

     [it was] wondered whether Chris Chenery's Virginia flyer would be a shoo-in for the Belmont Stakes …

2. (idiomatic, US) A candidate or contestant generally agreed upon as the presumptive winner; somebody who is well-liked or widely agreed upon.

   She's very popular and good with numbers, so I expect she'll be a shoo-in for treasurer.

   • 2007, Governors Speak, by Jack D. Fleer, page 47:

     Participation in primaries was often more important than in the general election because the Democratic Party nominee was a shoo-in for success in the general election.

Translations

candidate that is the presumptive winner

• Dutch: gedoodverfde winnaar, kat in't bakkie

• Icelandic: öruggur sigurvegari (is) m

See also

• landslide

References

• Oxford University Press article