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
- riskily adverb
- riskiness noun
- unrisky adjective
Etymology
Origin of risky
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.
In general, payout ratios of 80% or more are considered risky, while figures below are seen as healthy.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
And that doesn’t mean throwing all your extra cash into risky investments to make up for lost time.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
It was a risky move and Jonathan Torres knew it, but he did it anyway.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026
In the end, the advisory committee sided with the FDA and endorsed its initial decision that the six peptides were too risky to be dispensed to the public.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
But MI6 needed someone to take the risky role of courier.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
