gambled; gambling
ˈgam-b(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to play a game for money or property
b
: to bet on an uncertain outcome
2
: to stake something on a contingency (see contingency sense 1) : take a chance
1
a
: an act having an element of risk
b
: something chancy
2
: the playing of a game of chance for stakes
Synonyms
Examples of gamble in a Sentence
Verb
He's been drinking and gambling heavily.
He would often gamble hundreds of dollars on a hand of poker.
The mayor is gambling with the city's future.
people who lost money gambling in the stock market
The mayor is gambling that the new policies will help rather than hurt the city.
Noun
Starting her own business was a gamble, but it paid off.
She thought about starting her own business, but she decided it was too much of a gamble.
Recent Examples on the Web
Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Unfortunately, they were led by inept and/or unethical leaders that gambled with other people’s money and lost.
—Alexander S. Blume, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
But in many ways, the benefits to workers have remained a gamble while for farmers they're guaranteed.
—Seth Freed Wessler, ProPublica, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gamble 
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.
Verb
The world is gambling that a country that’s shown a bare minimum of commitment to this entire process can keep us all on a path to staving off catastrophic warming.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Unfortunately, they were led by inept and/or unethical leaders that gambled with other people’s money and lost.
—Alexander S. Blume, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
Whatever the game-plan was, the Kursk offensive was a gamble.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
But in many ways, the benefits to workers have remained a gamble while for farmers they're guaranteed.
—Seth Freed Wessler, ProPublica, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gamble
Articles Related to gamble
Dictionary Entries Near gamble
Cite this Entry
“Gamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamble. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gamble
2 of 2 noun1
: a risky undertaking
2
: a betting on a game of chance
Legal Definition
gamble
verb
gam·ble
ˈgam-bəl
gambled; gambling
: to risk something of value for the chance of winning a prize
: to risk (something) for the chance of winning a prize
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share