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

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

But at the end of the day, she said, people need to relax and remember that what’s at stake is just a tournament trophy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

But what does that matter when your life is at stake?

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron