gambles 1 of 2

noun

plural of gamble
as in ventures
a risky undertaking it's a gamble, but I'm willing to take the risk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gambles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of gamble
as in bets
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 gambles
Noun
Of course, all draft choices are gambles. — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026 Cheek initially runs towards the pass but gambles on the ball bouncing over the defender and runs behind him. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026 Those gambles never lead to moral wins for the nation, or big wins or jackpots for the poor Black communities that most of our most prodigious athletic artists come from. — Kiese Laymon, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026 For the first four games, the extensive gambles taken by the front office — not just this season but for years — seemed to be paying off in a surprising 3-1 road trip. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026 Most of his big gambles, on things such as the MGM studio and library, which led to the creation of the Turner Classic Movies channel, paid off handsomely. — Michael J. Socolow, The Conversation, 7 May 2026 LaMelo Ball is teaming up with Anthony Edwards after one of Tim Connelly’s boldest gambles yet. — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 June 2026 The alien invasion adventure opens on June 12 and, with its $115 million budget, represents one of summer’s biggest gambles — a twisty conspiracy thriller that doesn’t come wrapped in familiar IP. — Brent Lang, Variety, 9 June 2026 Drawing on generations of Chinatown family lore and silences, See turns China City’s vanished streets and her ancestors’ immigrant gambles into a historical fiction layered with stories of survival and belonging. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Verb
As Macron heads toward the end of his time in office — his final term ends next year — the Louvre overhaul has become his signature cultural project — his version of the big museum-and-monument gambles French presidents are often remembered for. — ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambles
  1. ventures
  2. bets
  3. chances
  4. puts
Noun
  • Most of the gains came from his cryptocurrency company, World Liberty Financial, and other digital currency ventures.
    — Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
  • The series will track four generations of the Tata family, beginning with founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, whose ventures included Tata Steel, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and groundwork for the Indian Institute of Science.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 July 2026
Definition of ventures
Verb
  • This is all heavy investment that bets hard on South Korea's future as a component powerhouse.
    — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • An immigrant educator at a struggling East LA high school decides his students can master AP calculus, bets everything on that belief, and turns out to be right.
    — Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Definition of bets
Noun
  • Skies will become partly sunny, and rain chances will drop considerably.
    — Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2026
  • The second half started much like the first half, as both teams created occasional chances, with most of the action coming from the Spanish.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of chances
Verb
  • The fashion from ‘Elle’ puts a modern nostalgia angle on the original, according to costume designer Sara Byblow.
    — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 7 July 2026
  • Since 2013, each sequel has avoided feeling stale because it's helmed by an up-and-coming director who puts their stamp on the material with a fresh story and set of characters.
    — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of puts

Browse Nearby Words

gamblers
gambles
gambles (on)
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Cite this Entry

“Gambles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambles. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gambles

Nglish: Translation of gambles for Spanish Speakers

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