risknoun
uk/rɪsk/us/rɪsk/B2 [ C or U ] the possibility of something bad happening:
In this business, the risks and the rewards are high.
There's a high risk of another accident happening in this fog.
[ + (that) ] The risk (that) we might fail made us work twice as hard.
[ + -ing verb ] It's always a risk starting up a new business.
The company is quite a good risk (= safe to lend money to).
We want clean rivers and lakes, where you can swim without risk to your health.
It's a low/high-risk strategy (= one that is safe/not safe).
C1 [ C ] something bad that might happen:
This wire is a safety/fire risk.
His employers thought he was a security risk (= he might tell their secrets to a competitor).
at risk
B2 in a dangerous situation:
All houses within 100 metres of the seas are at risk of flooding.
at your own risk
C2 used to mean that you are responsible for any damage, loss, or difficulty:
Drivers are reminded that they leave their cars here at their own risk.
run/take a risk
B2 to do something that might be dangerous:
Don't take any risks - just call the police.
You're running a big risk if oil prices drop sharply.
More examples
- The impurity of the water is a serious health risk.
- It was an awful risk to take.
- Are you prepared to put your children at risk?
- The benefits of this treatment far outweigh any risks.
- There are too many risks attendant on such a large investment of money.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Dangers and threats
- baneful
- black spot
- brinkmanship
- calculated risk
- chance
- darkly
- desperately
- dodgy
- gamble
- hazard
- hazardous
- hazmat
- high-risk
- hostage
- perilous
- poisoned chalice
- precarious
- pull
- pull a gun, knife, etc. on sb idiom
- treacherous
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Unsafe and insecure
Duty, obligation and responsibility
Taking risks
Idiom(s)
at the risk of doing sth
run the risk of doing sth
riskverb [ T ]
uk/rɪsk/us/rɪsk/B2 to do something although there is a chance of a bad result:
"It's dangerous to cross here." "I'll just have to risk it."
[ + -ing verb ] He risked losing his house when his company went bankrupt.
B2 If you risk something important, you cause it to be in a dangerous situation where you might lose it:
I'm not risking my life (informal neck) in that old car.
He risked life and limb to get the cat down from the tree.
She was prepared to risk everything on a last throw of the dice.
More examples
- Local people risked their own lives to shelter resistance fighters from the army.
- The company is risking everything on the new project.
- Are you prepared to risk your life?
- The rescuers risked their lives to save the survivors of the crash.
- She risks losing her reputation if her latest project fails.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Taking risks
- a drowning man will clutch at a straw idiom
- a leap in the dark idiom
- adventurer
- ante
- be skating on thin ice idiom
- dare
- expose
- go for broke idiom
- have/put your head on the block idiom
- hazard
- imperil
- jeopardize
- lay
- neck
- run the risk of doing sth idiom
- sail close to the wind idiom
- skate
- stick (sth) out
- stick your neck out idiom
- stunt
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