1
a
: 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
b(1)
: a hand or game of draw poker in which a pair of jacks or better is required to open
(2)
: a large pot (as in poker) formed by the accumulation of stakes from previous play
c(1)
: a combination on a slot machine that wins a top prize or all the coins available for paying out
(2)
: the sum so won
2
: an impressive often unexpected success or reward
3
chiefly Western US
: a tight spot : jam
Examples of jackpot in a Sentence
The lottery jackpot is up to one million dollars.
a wily dude who managed to get himself out of one jackpot after another
Recent Examples on the Web
On the economic side, laws like PAGA have turned labor enforcement into a jackpot for trial lawyers, hammering small businesses with endless lawsuits over minor technicalities.
—
Linh Tat, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Two lucky people won the $20 million jackpot for the Saturday, May 2 drawing of the Powerball, which was purchased in Leander — a suburb north of Austin.
—Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Saturday’s big-money Florida Lottery jackpot win involved a double rarity.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026
Sixty percent of millennials think winning the lottery is a reasonable retirement plan, and 18% of all those surveyed are basing their retirement plans on hopes of hitting the jackpot someday.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for jackpot
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Linh Tat, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Two lucky people won the $20 million jackpot for the Saturday, May 2 drawing of the Powerball, which was purchased in Leander — a suburb north of Austin.
—Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Saturday’s big-money Florida Lottery jackpot win involved a double rarity.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026
Sixty percent of millennials think winning the lottery is a reasonable retirement plan, and 18% of all those surveyed are basing their retirement plans on hopes of hitting the jackpot someday.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for jackpot
Cite this Entry
“Jackpot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackpot. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jackpot
noun
jack·pot
ˈjak-ˌpät 
1
: a large poker pot formed by the accumulation of stakes from previous play
2
a
: a combination on a slot machine that wins a top prize or all the coins in the machine
b
: the sum so won
3
: a great often unexpected success or reward
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
