at stake

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]

Example Sentences

There is a lot at stake for the environment and on security, she says, and meanwhile "the dark fleet is getting darker".

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“The master of this house pays you to keep a close eye on his wards, you incompetent! Do you have any idea how much is at stake should they wander off?”

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He visually compares Man-soo’s wife’s head to the shovel that will be used to help dispose of victims, and the family’s house is superimposed over a bonfire, implying what’s at stake.

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Everyone wanted to send a message today, everyone knew what was at stake: qualification for the World Cup!

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Policymakers "change budgets and they really have no perception how many lives are at stake," he said.

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