- plural of sweepstake.
sweepstakes
Americannoun
-
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.
-
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.
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
Plus, Netflix is rethinking some of its core strategies to compete with rivals, and the chaotic sweepstakes to replace Graham Platner has begun.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The class-action lawsuit story is similar to the sweepstakes and lottery check scam: You are told you have won and/or been awarded money, and you can deposit this check in your bank account.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 27, 2026
Discovery sweepstakes Thursday, conceding the prize to Paramount Skydance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2026
Mam wants to know if I won the sweepstakes and I tell her people give me tips.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
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.
