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

So, with billions at stake, how do clubs prepare to get moves over the line?

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

Although hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake for L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

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

For his part, Walter Ulbricht understood perfectly well what was at stake.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau