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

Eldridge from 1976, in which the Supreme Court stated that due process is flexible depending on the extent of the liberty or property interest at stake.

From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026

But Samuel Gill, editor of Dartnews.com, suggests Littler's future in the sport could be at stake.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

A grand prize of $10,000 and a mounted catfish trophy were at stake.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

L.A.’s very identity is at stake, added Daniela Kelly, an actor and dancer who arrived from Brazil two decades ago.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

I know the fate of Manhattan was at stake and all that, but the one and only Gilgamesh had eaten at our deli!

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda