risk 1 of 2

noun

ˈrisk How to pronounce risk (audio)
Definition of risknext
1
as in threat
something that may cause injury or harm mountain climbing is a risk, but the thrill and challenge are worth it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in danger
the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil children living in poverty are considered at risk for a number of medical and developmental problems

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risk

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to venture
to take a chance on Colette didn't want to risk running out of food for her party, so she bought twice what she thought she would actually need

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2
as in to endanger
to place in danger we refuse to risk our life savings on this investment scheme

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 risk
Noun
Brumel said that the largest studies looking at the risk of misdiagnosis have shown that between 15% and 20% of patients diagnosed with MS are found to not actually have the condition. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 Even where mold has been detected, brewing dilutes the concentration and lowers any health risk. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
Without one, the country risks stalling tools central to its competitiveness, or building them at the expense of the communities next door. — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 Simon Wohlfahrt | Afp | Getty Images As France’s economic and political woes mount, investors are asking whether the country’s debt problems risk contaminating the rest of the euro zone. — Jenni Reid,chloe Taylor, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for risk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for risk
  1. threat
  2. danger
  3. venture
  4. endanger
  5. jeopardy
  6. hazard
  7. threaten
  8. trouble
Noun
  • Beyond the immediate threat to crude supplies, damage to refining infrastructure could pose a more persistent challenge to global energy markets.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Trump has repeated threats to take out power plants and other infrastructure.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of threat
Noun
  • Earlier this week, missiles fired by the Houthis struck a residential area in Taiz, killing two teenage girls and renewing attention on the dangers faced by civilians.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Gigantic Fantastic also explores the development of steroids themselves, their physiological effects, as well as other image and performance-enhancing drugs and their dangers.
    — Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of danger
Verb
  • While authorities have stressed the need to get Bukangi out to sea quickly, Kim said patience will be key, giving the shark time to adjust to the waters beyond the canal before venturing farther out.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Some ventured onto what was then called the County Causeway, believing the storm had passed.
    — Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of venture
Verb
  • The money will go to conservation groups and local partners working on species the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies as endangered, critically endangered, or extinct in the wild.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Delron Pickens, of Independence, was charged with one count of vehicle hijacking and one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child in Jackson County Circuit Court on Sunday.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of endanger
Noun
  • Deadline first revealed last month that BBC Three, the youth network that has given rise to beloved British series including Fleabag and Gavin & Stacey, was in serious jeopardy.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Yet decisions that could contribute to anything from an individual suicide to large-scale cyberattacks and geopolitical destabilization are made without personal legal jeopardy.
    — Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of jeopardy
Verb
  • Scholars hazarded theories as to how an unschooled middle-aged Black woman from the South could brush with genius.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • That hazards statement originally had been in place through early Wednesday morning.
    — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 15 June 2026
Definition of hazard
Verb
  • Matthew Unglesbee, a 36-year-old resident of Quincy in southwestern Illinois, was charged with violations related to false information and hoaxes and mailing threatening communications.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
  • When all out-of-court options have been exhausted, and the MCA debt threatens the immediate survival of an otherwise viable business, legal reorganization is the final angle of management.
    — Nathan Mor, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of threaten
Noun
  • And set yourself up for a trouble-free voting experience by checking your registration and voting location before heading to the polls.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026
  • With DraftKings available in all 50 states, the campaign revolves around Hart and Jonas traveling throughout the country, where car troubles can happen.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of trouble

Phrases Containing risk

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rising (to)
risk
risked
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Cite this Entry

“Risk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/risk. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about risk

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