risk

American  

[risk] / rɪsk /

noun

1. exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance.

   It's not worth the risk.

   Synonyms:

   jeopardy, peril, venture

2. Insurance.

   1. the hazard or chance of loss.

   2. the degree of probability of such loss.

   3. the amount that the insurance company may lose.

   4. a person or thing with reference to the hazard involved in insuring him, her, or it.

   5. the type of loss, as life, fire, marine disaster, or earthquake, against which an insurance policy is drawn.

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verb (used with object)

1. to expose to the chance of injury or loss; hazard.

   to risk one's life.

   Synonyms:

   jeopardize, endanger, imperil

2. to venture upon; take or run the chance of.

   to risk a fall in climbing;

   to risk a war.

   Synonyms:

   chance

idioms

1. take / run a risk, to expose oneself to the chance of injury or loss; put oneself in danger; hazard; venture.

2. at risk,

   1. in a dangerous situation or status; in jeopardy.

      families at risk in the area of the weakened dam.

   2. under financial or legal obligation; held responsible.

      Are individual investors at risk for the debt part of the real estate venture?

risk British  

/ rɪsk /

noun

1. the possibility of incurring misfortune or loss; hazard

2. insurance

   1. chance of a loss or other event on which a claim may be filed

   2. the type of such an event, such as fire or theft

   3. the amount of the claim should such an event occur

   4. a person or thing considered with respect to the characteristics that may cause an insured event to occur

3. 1. vulnerable; likely to be lost or damaged

   2. social welfare vulnerable to personal damage, to the extent that a welfare agency might take protective responsibility

4. informal an expression of assent

5. to proceed in an action without regard to the possibility of danger involved in it

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verb

1. to expose to danger or loss; hazard

2. to act in spite of the possibility of (injury or loss)

   to risk a fall in climbing

risk More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing risk

• at risk
• calculated risk
• run a risk

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Other Word Forms

• risker noun
• riskless adjective
• unrisked adjective

Etymology

Origin of risk

First recorded in 1655–65; from French risque, from Italian rischio, risco, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

So the team asked the state to grant them a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, something commonly used in real-estate development to mitigate risk by creating tax certainty.

From The Wall Street Journal

Take a spot with your Tesla or Hyundai at your own risk.

From The Wall Street Journal

Business leaders have also privately complained that migrating all online services onto Max risks stifling innovation and limiting Russia’s ability to compete with China and the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, they may still face a high risk of shift work disorder, which involves disrupted sleep patterns and persistent daytime sleepiness.

From Science Daily

There are also concerns that Stamford Bridge is beginning to look dated, leaving Chelsea at risk of falling behind their rivals, particularly with new Premier League squad-cost ratio rules coming into force this summer.

From BBC

Related Words

• danger
• exposure
• hazard
• liability
• opportunity
• peril
• possibility
• prospect
• uncertainty