risky

[ ris-kee ]

adjective

, risk·i·er, risk·i·est.

1. attended with or involving risk; hazardous:

   a risky undertaking.

   Synonyms: perilous, dangerous

risky

/ ˈrɪskɪ /

adjective

1. involving danger; perilous

Derived Forms

• ˈriskiness, noun
• ˈriskily, adverb

Other Words From

• riski·ly adverb
• riski·ness noun
• un·risky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of risky¹

First recorded in 1820–30; risk + -y ¹

Example Sentences

I know, as the pandemic trudges on, that dining out is risky, not just to myself, but to others, too.

From Eater

As the chart shows, day-trading offers the probability of the biggest negative return whereas the five- or ten-year horizon is far less risky on a relative basis.

From Fortune

So, he’s been exploring what kind of incentives will best lead drug companies to invest in the risky and costly business of vaccines.

From Freakonomics

Instead of taking a risky 90-minute flight, I opted for the nine-hour drive.

From Washington Blade

The market environment that made the strategy profitable in the past — sparser and slower financial information, riskier economic policymaking and less efficient markets — was not coming back, she argued.

From Ozy

His section on why he and his wife split—he essentially chose soccer over her—would be risky if its candor were not so refreshing.

From The Daily Beast

Siding with Obama on anything, no matter how sensical, is a risky move for a would-be Republican presidential candidate.

From The Daily Beast

However, welcoming refugees is an expensive and potentially risky proposition for European countries.

From The Daily Beast

This makes for an unusual, and risky, subject for a musical stage show – one with origins as a kind of citizen journalism project.

From The Daily Beast

Which is why some consider crossovers (a man who performs in both gay and straight adult movies) risky business.

From The Daily Beast

It was risky work to leave the valuable convoy for an instant, but Malcolm felt that he must probe this mystery.

From Project Gutenberg

Though he knew it was risky he determined to stop and find out where he was and to inquire the shortest way to Palmyra.

From Project Gutenberg

We aren't used to this part of the world, you see, and so we didn't know what a risky thing we were doing.

From Project Gutenberg

Life itself I submitted, was a far too risky business as a whole to make each additional particular of danger worth regard.

From Project Gutenberg

He was in the position of a borrower driving a risky trade, or of a would-be insurer who leads an unhealthy life.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• delicate
• dicey
• hazardous
• perilous
• precarious
• sensitive
• speculative
• treacherous
• tricky
• uncertain
• unhealthy
• unsafe
• unsound

More About Risky

What does risky mean?

Risky describes something that involves risk or hazards, as in Walking a tightrope without a net below is risky.

Risky is almost always used to describe an action taken that could lead to negative consequences, such as when you decide not to study for your final exams.

Example: Working as a firefighter is a risky but worthwhile job.

Where does risky come from?

The first records of the term risky come from around 1820. It combines the word risk, meaning “a dangerous chance,” and the suffix –y, which creates adjectives out of nouns.

Risky always refers to the possibility of harm or loss, but the harm or loss can range from extremely dangerous to very slight or even figurative. Sometimes risky is used to describe illegal practices, like stealing, or practices that are bad for your health, like smoking. Businesspeople, finance managers, and stock brokers will often use the term risky to describe a business venture or investment. But risky can also be used playfully, to describe something that is very low risk but that involves a small amount of effort. Looking up word meanings in a dictionary is never risky, however!

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to risky?

• riskily (adjective)
• riskiness (noun)
• unrisky (adjective)

What are some synonyms for risky?

• dangerous
• delicate
• hazardous
• sensitive
• uncertain

What are some words that share a root or word element with risky? 

• risk
• risqué
• risktaker

What are some words that often get used in discussing risky?

• dicey
• hazard
• safety
• worthwhile
• unnecessary

What are some words risky may be commonly confused with?

• risqué

How is risky used in real life?

Risky is a common word used to describe something that is hazardous.

A naked iPhone is a beautiful thing but too risky.

— Austin Mahone (@AustinMahone) August 8, 2014

The risky texts always have the typos.

— John Mayer (@JohnMayer) April 17, 2017

I've been using a men's Gillette razor since I was 14. Gillette was the first major company to hire me when I was kind of known as a risky little b for brands. I still use a gillette fusion razor and I still get so much joy from a fresh blade. in closing, I love you, Gillette.

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) January 16, 2019

Try using risky!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for risky?

A. dangerous
B. uncertain
C. safe
D. hazardous