Hail Mary

[heyl mer-ee, mair-ee] / ˈheɪl ˈmɛr i, ˈmɛər i /

NOUN

last-ditch effort

Synonyms

WEAK

Ave Maria Hail Mary pass Hail Mary play ave last-minute pass

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“With the last $20,000, as a Hail Mary, we created and launched Subway Takes,” says Kuo, who produces the show.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

Third place went to Amazon MGM's hit sci-fi adventure comedy "Project Hail Mary," with $13.2 million.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

I experienced disruption a few weeks ago while watching Ryan Gosling's sci-fi movie, Project Hail Mary, at a cinema in London.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

The plaintiffs then filed a Hail Mary request with the Supreme Court to intervene before the D.C.

From Slate • Apr. 21, 2026

Each time Francie began the prayer, Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, her grandmother’s face came before her.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith