sweepstakes

[ sweep-steyks ]

/ ˈswipˌsteɪks /

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.

Words related to sweepstakes

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

Words nearby sweepstakes

sweeping, sweeping score, sweepings, sweeps, sweepstake, sweepstakes, sweepy, sweer, sweet, sweet almond, sweet almond oil

Origin of sweepstakes

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

Definition for sweepstakes (2 of 2)

sweepstake

[ sweep-steyk ]

/ ˈswipˌsteɪk /

noun

a sweepstakes.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for 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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
Family Dollar shoppers entered the sweepstakes in stores, online and using text messaging.
PepsiCo – NFL Partnership: Helping PepsiCo Customers||February 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST

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|DAILY BEAST
He brought the Sweepstakes alongside the pier so gently, that the concussion would not have broken an egg-shell.
No Moss|Harry Castlemon
Our readers will remember that we last week made mention of a change in the sweepstakes rings at the next Illinois State Fair.
Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56: No. 4, January 26, 1884|Various
Five minutes later the winners of the great Alaska Sweepstakes were flying down the street in the teeth of the storm.
The Yukon Trail|William MacLeod Raine
This wide definition reaches raffles and sweepstakes on races.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 4|Various
She was still lying at the upper end of the breakers, waiting for the Sweepstakes.
No Moss|Harry Castlemon

British Dictionary definitions for sweepstakes

sweepstake

esp US sweepstakes

/ (ˈswiːpˌsteɪk) /

noun

a lottery in which the stakes of the participants constitute the prize
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