English (UK)   Change
Follow us
Choose a dictionary
Contents
My word lists

Add risk to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

More
Go to your word lists
Tell us about this example sentence:

Meaning of risk in English

risk
noun
uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/rɪsk/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/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
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Dangers and threats
See more results »

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
 

Want to learn more?

Improve your vocabulary with English Vocabulary in Use from Cambridge.
Learn the words you need to communicate with confidence.

Idioms

at the risk of doing sth
run the risk of doing sth
risk
verb [ T ]
uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/rɪsk/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/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
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Taking risks
See more results »
(Definition of risk from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

risk | American Dictionary

risk
noun [ C/U ]
us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/rɪsk/
danger, or the possibility of danger, defeat, or loss:
[ C ] There’s a risk of an accident happening in this fog.
[ C ] I was afraid to take the risk of quitting my job before I had another one lined up.
[ U ] We want clean rivers and lakes, where you can swim without risk to your health.
[ U ] It was a high/low risk situation (= a situation with a lot of/very little danger).
A risk is also someone or something that could cause a problem or loss:
[ C ] Teenage drivers are considered higher risks.
 at risk
To be at risk is to be in danger:
A child who hasn’t been vaccinated is at risk.

risky

adjective us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/ˈrɪs·ki/
The business investment was a risky proposition.
risk
verb [ T ]
us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/rɪsk/
to do something or to enter a situation where there is a possibility of being hurt or of a loss or defeat:
He risked his life helping another man escape the fire.
We risk losing the business if we don’t pay off the loan on time.
(Definition of risk from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

risk | Business English

risk
noun
uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/rɪsk/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
[ U ]
the possibility that something bad or dangerous will happen:
Heavy reliance upon one client is not without risk when building up a practice.
increase/reduce the risk of sth The agency is undertaking an urgent program to reduce the risk of runway collision.
[ C ]
something bad that might happen:
Our biggest risk is identity theft.
I think that people who come here illegally know the risks.
[ C or U ]   FINANCE
the possibility that an investment will lose money:
Before you invest in the Fund you should carefully evaluate the risks.
This stock is loaded with risk.
high/low/medium risk
carry (a) risk To invest in just one stock carries a high risk.
offset (a) risk Banks carry out several transactions to offset risk.
[ C or U ]   INSURANCE
the possibility that something will be harmed, damaged, or lost:
high/low risk
insure against a risk Anyone who wants to insure against the risk of illness or accident can do so at a price.
[ C ]   INSURANCE, BANKING
a person or business that may or may not be safe to insure or lend money to:
a bad/good risk In terms of insurance eligibility, the couple constituted a bad risk.
 at risk
in danger:
at risk of sth A spokeswoman last night admitted 13 people were at risk of redundancy.
at risk of doing sth With its stock price severely depressed, the company was at risk of being a target for private equity investors.
 at your own risk
if you do something at your own risk, you do it although you know you might get harmed or lose something:
Please note that you download and install these programs entirely at your own risk.
 bear a risk
to be responsible for or accept the risk involved in something:
The two sides couldn't agree on how to pay for the plant and who would bear the most financial risk in the agreement.
With traditional pensions the employer bears the risks and pays the benefits.
 put sb/sth at risk
to put someone or something in a situation where they could be in danger:
Why put capital at significant risk for a return which is no higher than the return on government bonds?
 run a risk
to do something that might be harmful or dangerous:
You're running a big risk if oil prices drop sharply.
run the risk of doing sth Few IFAs are prepared to run the risk of advising a client to switch out of equities and into bonds and cash in case they get their timing wrong.
 spread your risk(s)
FINANCE
to reduce the chance of losing money by making several different types of investments:
While some shares in the fund may be falling in price, others could be rising, helping to spread your risk.
Unit trusts let small investors spread their risks by investing in a wide range of gilts.
 take a risk
to do something that might be harmful or dangerous:
The company thrived after taking a risk and selling its TV business.
take the risk of doing sth Over the past three months, investors who have taken the risk of investing in smaller companies have had a rough ride.

See also

actuarial risk
against all risks
all-risks
assigned risk
at-risk
buyer's risk
calculated risk
carrier's risk
country risk
credit risk
View all
currency risk
downside risk
exchange risk
execution risk
foreign currency risk
global risk
high-risk
inflation risk
insurance risk
inventory risk
investment risk
liquidity risk
low-risk
market liquidity risk
owner's risk
sovereign risk
systematic risk
uninsurable risk
risk
verb [ T ]
uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
/rɪsk/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
to put something in a situation where it could be lost or damaged:
Carol can get a better return on her investments without risking her capital.
The region was going through a huge economic downturn and it didn't want to risk its trade ties with the US
risk sth on sth Bonds are attractive to conservative investors who don't want to risk everything on the stock market.
to get into a situation or do something that might have a bad result:
The United States is becoming dangerously dependent on foreign investors to the point that it is risking a financial crisis.
risk doing sth If you're not exploiting the opportunities of e-commerce, you could risk going bankrupt.

See also

derisk
(Definition of risk from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of risk

risk
But far too often there is risk of serious direct harm when a rigorous assessment of benefits and harms is undertaken.
From Cambridge English Corpus
On the other hand, organic production techniques, particularly crop rotation, can reduce risk in the longer term.
From Cambridge English Corpus
These examples are from the Cambridge English Corpus and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
More examples Fewer examples
Correspondingly, men and women with the greatest burden of childcare responsibilities had increased risk of psychological distress, but this risk was significantly greater for men.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
As regards psychological distress, no association was found with decision latitude, while conflicts at work increased the risk of psychological distress.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
Thus, this group of immigrants was at particular risk for psychological distress.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
These observations suggest that identifying the risk and protective factors that may alter individual trajectories is of significance.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
In each case, however, risk returned to baseline in little more than a decade.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
As a result, the realworld risk of physical demonstration was reduced.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
Could the polity sustain pockets of autonomy in key border regions without risking the destabilisation of its interior?
From Cambridge English Corpus  
But many physicians have refused these incentives because of the risk of control of their practice.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
Psychologists risk a similar confusion in formulating principles taken to govern mental representations.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
This low diversification represents substantial risk exposure to participants.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
The morbid risk represents the percentage of family members who develop the specific disorder.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
The risk for depression was increased in participants who reported a previous poor pregnancy outcome.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
Delayed settlement introduces credit risk-one of the parties may default.
From Cambridge English Corpus  
See all examples of risk

Translations of risk

in Chinese (Traditional)
in Japanese
in Turkish
in French
in Catalan
in Arabic
in Czech
in Danish
in Indonesian
in Thai
in Vietnamese
in Polish
in Malay
in German
in Norwegian
in Korean
in Portuguese
in Chinese (Simplified)
in Italian
in Russian
in Spanish
風險, 危險, 潛在危險…
See more
危険性, リスク, ～の危険を冒す…
See more
tehlike, risk, riziko…
See more
risque, risquer, risquer (de)…
See more
risc, perill, córrer el risc/perill de…
See more
مُخاطَرة, يُخاطِر, يُخاطِر بـِ…
See more
riziko, riskovat…
See more
risiko, risikere, satse…
See more
risiko, mempertaruhkan, menghadapi risiko…
See more
การเสี่ยงภัย, เสี่ยงภัย, เสี่ยง…
See more
sự rủi ro, liều, có nguy cơ phải chịu sự rủi ro…
See more
ryzyko, zagrożenie…
See more
risiko, terdedah kepada bahaya, mengambil risiko…
See more
das Risiko, riskieren…
See more
risiko, fare, risikere…
See more
위험, 리스크, -의 위험을 감수하다…
See more
risco, arriscar-se, arriscar…
See more
风险, 危险, 潜在危险…
See more
rischio, rischiare…
See more
риск, угроза…
See more
riesgo, peligro, exponerse a…
See more
Need a translator?

Get a quick, free translation!

Translator tool
What is the pronunciation of risk?

Browse

risible
rising
rising damp
rising star
risk
risk analysis
risk arbitrage
risk assessment
risk capital

Word of the Day

strategy

a detailed plan for achieving success in situations such as war, politics, business, industry, or sport, or the skill of planning for such situations

About this

Blog

Beds of roses and sore thumbs (Newspaper idioms)

New Words

orthosomnia
More new words
has been added to list
To top
Contents
EnglishAmericanBusinessExamplesTranslations
Get our free widgets
Add the power of Cambridge Dictionary to your website using our free search box widgets.
Dictionary apps
Browse our dictionary apps today and ensure you are never again lost for words.