Showing results for "sweepstakes"

• plural of sweepstake.

sweepstakes

American  

[sweep-stayks] / ˈswipˌsteɪks /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. a race or other contest for which the prize consists of the stakes contributed by the various competitors.

2. the prize itself.

3. a lottery in which winning tickets are selected at random, each winning-ticket number then being matched to one of the horses nominated for or entered in a specific race, and the amounts paid the winners being determined by the finishing order of the horses that run.

4. lottery.

5. any gambling transaction in which each of a number of persons contributes a stake, and the stakes are awarded to one or several winners.

6. a risky venture that promises large rewards.

   the high-tech sweepstakes.

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Etymology

Origin of sweepstakes

1485–95; earlier swepestake originally, a person who won all the stakes in a game; see sweep ¹, stake ², -s ³

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sweepstakes

Though the newsletters that make the grade rarely are at the top of the annual performance sweepstakes, they hardly ever are at the bottom either.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

Two red flags during final practice had led some teams to have private sweepstakes as to how many stoppages there would be in qualifying, but the session ran cleanly, with no incidents.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Adams did not respond to a detailed list of questions about FLAG’s financial practices, sweepstakes operation and educational programming.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

Pulling ahead recently in the sweepstakes, with a couple of awards already on its shelf, is “Schmigadoon!,” an exuberantly staged adaptation of the Apple TV series of the same name.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

There were no play areas, no sweepstakes or “Happy Meals,” no giveaways or promotions.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• betting
• chance
• long shot
• odds
• pledge
• risk
• speculation
• stake
• venture
• wager