risk-averse

American  

[risk-uh-vurs] / ˈrɪsk əˌvɜrs /

adverb

1. reluctant to take risks; tending to avoid risks as much as possible.

   risk-averse entrepreneurs.

2. of or noting a person who invests in stocks, bonds, etc., with lower risks and generally lower rates of return so as to minimize the possibility of financial loss.

   risk-averse investors who stick with government bonds.

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Etymology

Origin of risk-averse

First recorded in 1960–65; risk ( def. ) + averse ( def. )

Example Sentences

A resumption of fears that artificial intelligence will render software obsolete was the other major component of Tuesday’s stock market losses, and ongoing worries about private credit meant a general risk-averse trading environment.

From Barron's

“That’s how you signal trust to a risk-averse healthcare market.”

From The Wall Street Journal

These fans regularly crunch the numbers to determine whether the films they love are actually successful, hoping risk-averse studios will make more of what they like and less of what they don’t—and their analysis may even be reaching Tinseltown power brokers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Because these models are made by risk-averse tech companies, the prose is rich with phrases that hedge.

From The Wall Street Journal

“When geopolitical tensions spike, some risk-averse investors feel a reflex to act immediately,” even on purchases that might be unaffordable or speculative investments, said Ulin.

From MarketWatch