sweepstakes

[sweep-steyks]

See more synonyms for sweepstakes on Thesaurus.com

noun (used with a singular or plural verb)

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

lottery(def 2).
any gambling transaction in which each of a number of persons contributes a stake, and the stakes are awarded to one or several winners.
a risky venture that promises large rewards: the high-tech sweepstakes.

Origin of sweepstakes

1485–95; earlier swepestake orig., a person who won all the stakes in a game; see sweep¹, stake², -s³

sweepstake

[sweep-steyk]

noun

a sweepstakes.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for sweepstakes

raffle, gambling, sweepstake, pledge, risk, stake, chance, venture, speculation, wager, odds, lotto, draw, flier, pool, sweep, lots, disposition, drawing, bet

Examples from the Web for sweepstakes

Contemporary Examples of sweepstakes

The sweepstakes begins on December 9th, 2014 at 8:00 AM EST and ends on January 31st, 2015 at 11:59 EST (the "Entry Period").
The Daily Beast Company LLC The New Alphas Sweepstakes Official Rules
December 9, 2014
APPLICABLE LAWS AND JURISDICTION: This Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
The Daily Beast Company LLC The New Alphas Sweepstakes Official Rules
December 9, 2014
Family Dollar shoppers entered the sweepstakes in stores, online and using text messaging.
PepsiCo – NFL Partnership: Helping PepsiCo Customers
February 5, 2014
This sweepstakes is sponsored by The Daily Beast Company LLC, 555 W. 18th St., NY, NY 10011 (“Sponsor”).
Tomasky Twitter Book Giveaway Sweepstakes Official Rules
February 3, 2014
The sweepstakes begins on 2/3/14 at 3:00PM EST and ends on 2/7/14 at 6:00PM EST (the "Entry Period").
Tomasky Twitter Book Giveaway Sweepstakes Official Rules
February 3, 2014

Historical Examples of sweepstakes

Won the Brighton Beach overnight sweepstakes in nineteen an' four.
Garrison's Finish
W. B. M. Ferguson
Sysonby himself won the Brighton sweepstakes in nineteen-four.
Garrison's Finish
W. B. M. Ferguson
They would tie them hand and foot, and turn the Sweepstakes adrift.
No Moss
Harry Castlemon
Harry understood from this that the Sweepstakes had again escaped.
No Moss
Harry Castlemon
The only consolation he could find was in the hope that the Sweepstakes might be speedily captured.
No Moss
Harry Castlemon

British Dictionary definitions for sweepstakes

sweepstake

esp US sweepstakes

noun

1. a lottery in which the stakes of the participants constitute the prize
2. the prize itself
any event involving a lottery, esp a horse race in which the prize is the competitors' stakes

Often shortened to: sweep

Word Origin for sweepstake

C15: originally referring to someone who sweeps or takes all the stakes in a game

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

Word Origin and History for sweepstakes

"prize won in a race or contest," 1773, from Middle English swepestake "one who sweeps or wins all the stakes in a game" (late 15c., as the name of one of the King's ships), from swepen "sweep" (see sweep (v.)) + stake (n.2).