risky
Americanadjective
-
riskier,
comparative
-
riskiest
superlative
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.
See Examples For:
When he gambled with a risky ball and failed to find a target, there was another uprising.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Using half your portfolio to purchase a second home might be too risky.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Qayyum added: "I'd urge everyone to exercise real caution. That means thinking twice about fireworks and disposable barbecues, and looking out for each other by speaking up if you see something risky."
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Among investors, one of those perennial stories is the young swashbuckling genius who comes out of nowhere, racks up gigantic gains on risky bets, attracts massive amounts of money, then crashes and burns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Calling feels too risky, but I’ve texted David and plan to meet him again.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
Treasury’s surprise move to increase its buybacks of longer-dated bonds, lowering borrowing costs and buoying riskier assets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Because inflation and the lure of riskier assets like stocks are higher than in 2021, so are yields.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
High-beta refers to stocks with higher volatility than the market as a whole, therefore riskier, but which also offer the potential for higher returns.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
For now, the humble paper check remains too deeply woven into the fabric of American life to truly rest in peace — even if writing one means playing a riskier game with swindlers.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
In my experience, a political strike is always riskier than an economic one.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
But Messi’s most common strategy is also one of the riskiest: He waits to see which way the keeper commits and then simply sends his penalty in the opposite direction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
While take-off and landing are aviation's riskiest phases, fatal accidents immediately after lift-off are uncommon.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
The riskiest segments included administrative support, data entry, bookkeeping, and editing, said the study.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 17, 2026
Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s new David Geffen Galleries represents the riskiest leap taken by any L.A. institution this century.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
The borrowers were failing to make interest payments sufficient to pay off the riskiest subprime bonds.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
