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security risk

American  

noun

  1. a person considered by authorities as likely to commit acts that might threaten the security of a country.


security risk British  

noun

  1. a person deemed to be a threat to state security in that he could be open to pressure, have subversive political beliefs, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of security risk

First recorded in 1950–55

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:

The bigger danger for the company is the reputational hit that could come with being seen as a security risk.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 8, 2026

He is being held under the Unlawful Combatants Law, which authorises the military to detain people from Gaza suspected of posing a security risk for an unspecified period without charge.

From BBC Jul. 7, 2026

He claims these companies have such powerful tech that they represent a national security risk.

From Salon Jun. 22, 2026

As I started to dig in, one of the first things obvious to me was the national security risk.

From Barron's May 21, 2026

But now they’ll only let military personnel inside due to the security risk.

From "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff

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