risk
Americannoun
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exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance.
It's not worth the risk.
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Insurance.
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the hazard or chance of loss.
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the degree of probability of such loss.
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the amount that the insurance company may lose.
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a person or thing with reference to the hazard involved in insuring him, her, or it.
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the type of loss, as life, fire, marine disaster, or earthquake, against which an insurance policy is drawn.
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verb (used with object)
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to expose to the chance of injury or loss; hazard.
to risk one's life.
- Synonyms:
- jeopardize, endanger, imperil
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to venture upon; take or run the chance of.
to risk a fall in climbing;
to risk a war.
- Synonyms:
- chance
idioms
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take / run a risk, to expose oneself to the chance of injury or loss; put oneself in danger; hazard; venture.
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at risk,
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in a dangerous situation or status; in jeopardy.
families at risk in the area of the weakened dam.
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under financial or legal obligation; held responsible.
Are individual investors at risk for the debt part of the real estate venture?
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noun
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the possibility of incurring misfortune or loss; hazard
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insurance
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chance of a loss or other event on which a claim may be filed
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the type of such an event, such as fire or theft
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the amount of the claim should such an event occur
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a person or thing considered with respect to the characteristics that may cause an insured event to occur
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vulnerable; likely to be lost or damaged
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social welfare vulnerable to personal damage, to the extent that a welfare agency might take protective responsibility
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informal an expression of assent
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to proceed in an action without regard to the possibility of danger involved in it
verb
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to expose to danger or loss; hazard
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to act in spite of the possibility of (injury or loss)
to risk a fall in climbing
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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risksimple
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riskssimple
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have riskedperfect
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has riskedperfect
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am riskingprogressive
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are riskingprogressive
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is riskingprogressive
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have been riskingperfect progressive
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has been riskingperfect progressive
Past
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riskedsimple
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had riskedperfect
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was riskingprogressive
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were riskingprogressive
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had been riskingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of risk
First recorded in 1655–65; from French risque, from Italian rischio, risco, of obscure origin
Explanation
A risk is an action that holds a chance of danger or failure. Although it's fun jump around on glaciers, the risk of falling down a crack into a freezing lake might deter you from ice climbing. Risk comes from the French for danger. As nouns, risk and danger are close synonyms. The verb risk means to run a danger, in hopes of reward. So risk is similar to gamble. If you're very ill, you might risk a dangerous surgery. We also use risk for money or security. You can risk your good health by working with infected patients without sterile equipment. Or you can risk your life savings on the stock market.
Vocabulary lists containing risk
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"Too Young to Drive?" and "Rules of the Road"
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Supreme Court healthcare ruling
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But we can wholeheartedly recommend this dispatch from Slate’s Alexander Sammon, who visited his local Taco Bell to eat chalupas with the brave Americans who aren’t letting the risk of a parasite ruin their appetite.
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
This can lead to severely painful episodes, which experts say can sometimes be prevented by wrapping up warm and drinking plenty of fluid, and daily antibiotics can reduce risk of infections.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
If an individual voluntarily relinquishes all future Social Security retirement benefits, why shouldn’t they be allowed to assume that risk themselves?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Plus, a higher risk for lung cancer never completely fades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
‘I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to expose you to risk.’
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Some peptides, like insulin or GLP-1, are well-studied and the risks and benefits of lab-created versions well-understood.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
It risks striking directly at the heart of the freewheeling money engine that’s been funding Silicon Valley’s trillion-dollar AI build-out.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Morningstar maintains its fair-value estimate on the ADRs at $160.00, adding that they are fairly valued given longer-term cyclical risks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The boss of SpaceX told The Economist, external while he remains concerned about risks posed by advancements in AI and robotics, "the most likely outcome is incredible abundance for all".
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
It was almost as if my father had come to accept that if he were really going to do battle with the Government, he would have to take certain risks.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
The European eel has seen a 90% decline in the last 30 years, the environmental charity said, and risked injury while leaping up the weir when levels are low.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Others have said the World Cup risked disrupting regular viewing patterns.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
He said that AI-driven weapons systems risked lowering the political costs of war for those who possess advanced AI, making “war more ‘feasible’ and less subject to human control.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
The system risked drawing the attention of European regulators, since it captured exchanges between employees on both continents.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
“And for what? To live a dream of freedom and prosperity? Pah. They would be ashamed of us. What is it to defy the Devlin mine to those who have risked everything?”
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Absent any other convenient alternative, the Chinese aspire to export their excess domestic capacity rather than risking a debt-deflation spiral at home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Pope Leo XIV on Saturday visited Italy's Lampedusa island, a major port of call for migrants risking the perilous crossing from Africa, in a stark message to US and EU leaders.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
We will hold without a stop initially, thus risking the entire call premium.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
Mexican American midfielder Brian Gutiérrez enters this final group stage match with an accumulated yellow card, so Aguirre likely will not play him to avoid risking suspension for the round of 32 game.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
It means risking coming back after curfew and coming back while Ilse and Karin are home, but Sala doesn’t have decent clothes, and we are desperate.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
