take a chance

Idioms

Risk something, gamble, as in I'll take a chance that he'll be on the next plane. [c. 1900]

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.

Or they may take a chance on Mr. de la Espriella in the first round.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

To win in Texas, where Republicans outnumber Democrats, Crockett has to do more than just turn out her party’s voters; she has to convince moderates, conservatives, and independents to take a chance on her too.

From Slate • Mar. 3, 2026

But it was his decision to take a chance on him.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

"When the economy is being threatened in such an unprecedented way, it doesn't make it likely that voters will want to take a chance on even more uncertainty," like an independent Quebec, she said.

From Barron's • Oct. 30, 2025

I take a chance that she is recognizing the odor of her human family like all pets do—even members of the family they’ve never met.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023