risky

adjective

ˈri-skē How to pronounce risky (audio)
riskier; riskiest
Synonyms of riskynext
: attended with risk or danger : hazardous
riskiness noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for risky

dangerous, hazardous, precarious, perilous, risky mean bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury.

dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

Examples of risky in a Sentence

Her plan is too risky.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Lower interest rates paired with less strict regulations under a second Trump administration could drive riskier market moves, which could fuel what have been somewhat sleepy sectors over the last few years. —Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024 Sign up Why is online sports betting potentially risky? —Becca Stanek, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024 Tesla has staked its financial future on a pivot to autonomous robotaxis, a risky pursuit facing serious regulatory hurdles. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024 Once considered too risky, crypto is now part of the mainstream investment landscape. —Lisa Loud, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for risky 

Word History

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of risky was in 1813

Phrases Containing risky

Dictionary Entries Near risky

risk-taking

risky

risky business

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Risky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/risky. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

risky

adjective
ˈris-kē How to pronounce risky (audio)
riskier; riskiest
: having or bringing risk : dangerous

More from Merriam-Webster on risky

Nglish: Translation of risky for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of risky for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...