risk-averse

American  

[risk-uh-vurs] / ˈrɪsk əˌvɜrs /

adverb

1. reluctant to take risks; tending to avoid risks as much as possible.

   risk-averse entrepreneurs.

2. of or noting a person who invests in stocks, bonds, etc., with lower risks and generally lower rates of return so as to minimize the possibility of financial loss.

   risk-averse investors who stick with government bonds.

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Etymology

Origin of risk-averse

First recorded in 1960–65; risk ( def. ) + averse ( def. )

Example Sentences

Then this recurring cycle will begin again, as a new generation begins to enter the market and make fun of their elders for being foolishly risk-averse and old-fashioned.

From MarketWatch

Philadelphia’s quarterback is a Super Bowl MVP who can’t shake the perception that he’s too risk-averse, too reliant on his legs, and not maximizing the Philadelphia attack.

From The Wall Street Journal

The report said the UK has excessively risk-averse policies in place, including "overly conservative" rules on radiation exposure levels for workers.

From BBC

The decline has been caused by a combination of a more hawkish-than-expected Federal Reserve and a shift toward more risk-averse market dynamics, with the drop ultimately leading to liquidation of leveraged positions and sales of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds.

From Barron's

Arriving in Marseille in mid-August, 1940, determined to help those in danger after witnessing the abuse of Jews in Berlin in 1935, Fry had to battle not only the French authorities and Nazi ideology, but also his own risk-averse United States Consulate in Marseille.

From New York Times