at stake

Idioms  

1. At risk to be won or lost, as in We have a great deal at stake in this transaction. This phrase uses stake in the sense of something that is wagered. Shakespeare used it in Troilus and Cressida (3:3): “I see my reputation is at stake.” [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

With all of that in mind, Jude Bellingham knew exactly what was at stake in Munich.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

But DeepSeek's reputation as a company at the frontier of AI technology is also at stake.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

These types of investments usually require a great deal of capital, so you’ll have a lot at stake and it’ll be worth your time.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

Team representatives wrote in the lobbying material that the Blazers’ future in Portland was at stake — and that a departure would threaten the city’s turnaround from pandemic-era headlines about downtown retail vacancies and crime.

From Salon • Mar. 30, 2026

Maybe because more was at stake than going to the pictures or buying ice cream.

From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm