gamble
verb (used without object)
to play at any game of chance for money or other stakes.
was gambling
-
past progressiveof gamble.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
It was gambling on a person’s well-being—tied to military conflict, regime change and geopolitical consequences that many traders scarcely understand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
MI5 was gambling that I could not prove what I had set out.
From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2025
I think the only thing that crypto proved to be any good for was gambling.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2023
“Holmes was operating a medical device start-up. She commercialized a product that patients and doctors relied on to make important health decisions. She was gambling with people’s lives.”
From New York Times ● Sep. 18, 2021
Barack’s team was gambling with an outdoor announcement, but it wasn’t my place to second-guess.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
