risk

American  

[risk] / rɪsk /

noun

• risks
  plural

1. 

   exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance.

   It's not worth the risk.

   Synonyms:

   jeopardy, peril, venture

2. Insurance.

   1. the hazard or chance of loss.

   2. the degree of probability of such loss.

   3. the amount that the insurance company may lose.

   4. a person or thing with reference to the hazard involved in insuring him, her, or it.

   5. 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)

• risks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• risked,
  past participle,  past
• risking
  present participle

1. to expose to the chance of injury or loss; hazard.

   to risk one's life.

   Synonyms:

   jeopardize, endanger, imperil

2. to venture upon; take or run the chance of.

   to risk a fall in climbing;

   to risk a war.

   Synonyms:

   chance

idioms

1. take / run a risk, to expose oneself to the chance of injury or loss; put oneself in danger; hazard; venture.

2. at risk,

   1. in a dangerous situation or status; in jeopardy.

      families at risk in the area of the weakened dam.

   2. under financial or legal obligation; held responsible.

      Are individual investors at risk for the debt part of the real estate venture?

risk British  

/ rɪsk /

noun

1. the possibility of incurring misfortune or loss; hazard

2. insurance

   1. chance of a loss or other event on which a claim may be filed

   2. the type of such an event, such as fire or theft

   3. the amount of the claim should such an event occur

   4. a person or thing considered with respect to the characteristics that may cause an insured event to occur

3. 1. vulnerable; likely to be lost or damaged

   2. social welfare vulnerable to personal damage, to the extent that a welfare agency might take protective responsibility

4. informal an expression of assent

5. to proceed in an action without regard to the possibility of danger involved in it

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verb

1. to expose to danger or loss; hazard

2. to act in spite of the possibility of (injury or loss)

   to risk a fall in climbing

risk More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing risk

• at risk
• calculated risk
• run a risk

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• risker
  noun
• riskless
  adjective
• unrisked
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• risks
  plural

Participles

• risking
  present
• risked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• risk
  simple
• risks
  simple
• have risked
  perfect
• has risked
  perfect
• am risking
  progressive
• are risking
  progressive
• is risking
  progressive
• have been risking
  perfect progressive
• has been risking
  perfect progressive

Past

• risked
  simple
• had risked
  perfect
• was risking
  progressive
• were risking
  progressive
• had been risking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will risk
  simple
• will have risked
  perfect
• will be risking
  progressive
• will have been risking
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of risk

First recorded in 1655–65; from French risque, from Italian rischio, risco, of obscure origin

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

risk risks risked risking

As MarketWatch’s Beth Pinsker explains, it’s less about chasing today’s attractive 5.51% yield on Series I debt than preparing for the risk that retirees often overlook: selling their stocks when the market is down.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026

Inflation is now expected to remain above 3% for the coming year with an increasing risk that higher inflation expectations will become embedded, the board said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

Yet to shore up utilities’ risk profile and prevent upward pressure on utility rates, he said, the state will probably have to grant some liability caps.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination must be respected and warned of the risk of renewed hostilities.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

“Which is exactly why we can’t risk it,” said another professor in the back.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Central banks stepped up gold buying in the third quarter to its fastest pace since late 2024, as geopolitical risks and concerns over fiscal discipline bolstered institutional demand for the precious metal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

Such an approach risks obscuring human responsibility and leaving those who suffer harm to confront a faceless entity.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

Without proper protections, "any factory or equipment" connected to the internet - ranging from carmakers to electricity or transport infrastructure - could face similar risks, said Olivier Daloy, a cybersecurity expert at Zscaler.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

Daloy highlighted two particular risks: the exploitation of a technical vulnerability and the use of compromised credentials allowing hackers to log in to the equipment.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

It all went around in my head for a few weeks: the pain, the risks, the uncertainty, and the awful, enticing thought of blending in.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

By violating the truce, Moscow would have risked undermining its own efforts to cultivate the crucial relationship with her husband, US President Donald Trump.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

Maksić said putting students on the ballot risked pitting them against one another and splintering a movement built without leaders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

He also suggested that the platform risked a drop in relevance as its larger rivals competed more aggressively.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

She said China risked missing its official target for the year, spurring a recent roll-out of mortgage subsidies for certain home purchases and support for infrastructure investment.

From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2026

And then he risked it: “Do you have news about the exam, sir?”

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins

The Centre for Cities think tank says some areas may not have the expertise to manage developed powers effectively, risking deeper economic inequalities between areas.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

But I am an apple-picking person, and my Dad was an apple-picking person, and I think he understood even then that some things are worth risking an eye for.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

In the developing world, he added, governments are being forced to make the "impossible" choice between cutting support for their poorest citizens or risking their entire development agenda.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026

You’re right that standing up all day is tough, even if you’re not lugging boxes to and from the warehouse or climbing ladders and risking your health to help a customer or to restock shelves.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

After all the risk I’d taken, risking Mother finding out about her coming down here once or twice a year sometimes, and me having to tell Mother lies about it.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner

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Related Words

• danger
• exposure
• hazard
• liability
• opportunity
• peril
• possibility
• prospect
• uncertainty

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