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

Younger Japanese, who feel they have more at stake in what comes next for Japan, are sharing details of the demonstrations and bringing along their friends.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

But the chorus of Theban citizens, whose odes interrupt the action at crucial points, makes clear that not only the ruling clan but the entire society is at stake.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

In testimony on Monday, Guyana's Foreign Minister Hugh Hilton Todd told judges the case had "an existential quality for Guyana" with more than 70 percent of its territory at stake.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

“Everything is at stake for the Haitian community,” Joseph said.

From Salon • Apr. 30, 2026

And what was at stake for both men that was worth risking so much?

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis