risky
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does risky mean? Risky describes something that involves risk or hazards, as in Walking a tightrope without a net below is risky. Risky is almost always used to describe an action taken that could lead to negative consequences, such as when you decide not to study for your final exams. Example: Working as a firefighter is a risky but worthwhile job.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of risky
Explanation
Risky things are a little bit dangerous. It would be risky for you to attempt to hike up a mountain in the wintertime without the proper gear. Physically hazardous things are risky, like a risky sky diving trick or a risky airplane landing attempt in high winds. It can also be risky to do something that makes you feel vulnerable, like telling someone how much you like them, or reading your poem in front of an audience. People commonly talk about money using risky too: "I think your brother's food truck would be a risky investment."
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.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said all this is expected to come into effect from September 2027, as will a local authority licencing scheme for less risky procedures.
From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026
That might mean buying back yen and selling risky assets to repay their loans.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
The yellow metal—traditionally seen as a safe haven—is behaving increasingly like a risky asset, he says, noting its prices were volatile on extreme speculation in 4Q last year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
“Gold was on a tear in January and it’s down a lot since because it’s being viewed as more of a risky asset,” said Paisley Nardini, head of multi-asset solutions at Simplify Asset Management.
From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026
Just the same, it was a long, hard journey and could be risky unless she was extremely cautious.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
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.
