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]

---

Example Sentences

“Issues at stake remain the location of Iran’s uranium stockpile and control over the Strait of Hormuz,” the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Who do you want operating on you when your health is at stake?

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

"We will remind them what's at stake, and we will tell them their vote matters."

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Below is a rundown of the executives making the trip and what could be at stake.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

Since 1400 theologians had been discussing what they called ‘moral certainty’—evidence good enough to rely on, even if there is a great deal at stake.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton