gamble 1 of 2

noun

Definition of gamblenext
as in chance
a risky undertaking it's a gamble, but I'm willing to take the risk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gamble

2 of 2

verb

ˈgam-bəl How to pronounce gamble (audio)
as in to bet
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event a foolish man who gambled his life savings on the lottery

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gamble
Noun
Mamdani backed three anti-establishment congressional challengers in a political gamble that his own team acknowledged was risky. — ABC News, 25 June 2026 This career shift, though not yet officially confirmed by Rodriguez or the UFC, represents a significant gamble. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
Rather than finishing the ambitious project, Rinsch gambled much of the money in the cryptocurrency market before spending millions more on luxury purchases. — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 29 June 2026 In recent decades, however, the sport’s popularity has declined sharply for myriad reasons, including new and more popular ways to gamble, concerns about animal welfare, and shifting interests in sports toward ones that work better on television. — Henry Kornaros, Curbed, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gamble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gamble
  1. chance
  2. bet
  3. venture
  4. put
  5. wager
Noun
  • For the best chance of seeing them, move away from city lights, lie flat on your back and look toward the southern sky near the Aquarius constellation, NASA says.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Now’s your chance to grab a closet’s worth of sleek, sculpting essentials, like the SpanxShape Booty Boost leggings for $44 off, and the SpanxSmooth Jersey Crewneck T-Shirt for $30 off.
    — Olivia Dubyak, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026
Definition of chance
Verb
  • Trump’s pressure campaign could not come at worse time for Cubans after their government seemed to have bet the island’s future on tourism and spent much of the last decade building new hotels –– which now sit vacant.
    — Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Fertility companies are betting on artificial intelligence and other technologies to boost the chances of a successful IVF pregnancy.
    — Edna Bonhomme, Scientific American, 6 July 2026
Definition of bet
Noun
  • One example is a joint venture with CDA near the future Route 390 and I-490 interchange next to O’Hare.
    — Marni Pike, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • General Catalyst, one of Silicon Valley’s larger venture firms, has built an entire strategy around buying labour-heavy service companies and rewiring them with AI before selling them on.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of venture
Verb
  • In his fifth-inning at-bat, Stephenson was on the other side of two successful challenges by Rutschman that put him down 1-2 in the count instead of up 3-0.
    — C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • Go on, put the 131-cube (2,147 cc) monster engine into that one.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
Definition of put
Verb
  • Bonta proposed statewide restrictions on games using third-party proposition players, also known as player-dealers, as well as blackjack and other banked games, in which players wager against the house.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
  • Instead of sports, though, women are wagering on their knowledge of pop culture.
    — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 1 July 2026
Definition of wager

Phrases Containing gamble

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gambits
gamble
gambled
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Cite this Entry

“Gamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gamble. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gamble

Nglish: Translation of gamble for Spanish Speakers

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