at stake

Idioms  

1. At risk to be won or lost, as in We have a great deal at stake in this transaction. This phrase uses stake in the sense of something that is wagered. Shakespeare used it in Troilus and Cressida (3:3): “I see my reputation is at stake.” [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at stake

Chevron has a lot at stake in the region.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

In some large counties, Jackson won every delegate at stake as a plurality of convention attendees simply voted for the populist Democrat’s slate.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

What makes you think you have a better crystal ball than full-time traders with collectively trillions of dollars at stake?

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

"It is vitally important that if national security interests are at stake, that there's not what I would say is a huge blind spot," Clayton said, defending the move.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

But what does that matter when your life is at stake?

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron