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risk-benefit

American  
[risk-ben-uh-fit] / ˈrɪskˈbɛn ə fɪt /

adjective

  1. involving studies, testing, etc., to establish whether the benefits, as of a course of medical treatment, outweigh the risks involved.

    to arrive at a risk-benefit ratio.


Etymology

Origin of risk-benefit

First recorded in 1970–75

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.

“As with any insurance, there’s a risk-benefit analysis,” Michael Page of Boston’s Hingham Jewelers told me.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 3, 2026

"It is important for patients and families to know the true risk-benefit profile of flu treatments, such as oseltamivir, that are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics."

From Science Daily • Jan. 5, 2026

Many experts point out that the initiation of HRT must be within 10 years of the onset of menopause, because the data clearly demonstrate that the risk-benefit ratio becomes unfavorable when initiated after 60.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 10, 2025

“I am very careful about my risk-benefit decisions,” he said at the time.

From Barron's • Oct. 7, 2025

Hopefully many of them will update their risk-benefit analysis and get vaccinated, he says.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2025