risk
risk — noun
1. the chance that something harmful or unpleasant will happen — for example, the p
the chance that something harmful or unpleasant will happen — for example, the possibility of getting a disease, losing money, or being in an accident.
There is a high risk of flooding in coastal areas during the typhoon season.
high risk of + noun phrase
Smoking cigarettes greatly increases your risk of developing lung problems.
increase the risk of + gerund
The doctor explained all the possible risks and benefits of the surgery.
Regular exercise can help lower your risk of heart disease in later life.
lower the risk of + noun
Investors should carefully study the risks before putting money into any new business.
- high/low risk
- risk of
- increase risk
- reduce risk
- pose a risk
- risk factor
Grammar Patterns
risk of + noun/gerund
increase/reduce/lower the risk of + noun/gerund
Usage Note
Commonly used with premodifiers: high/low/great/serious/real risk. Followed by of + noun (risk of fire) or of + gerund (risk of losing everything). Do not use to + infinitive after risk in this sense.
Common Mistakes
2. a person, thing, or situation that could cause harm, loss, or problems in the fu
a person, thing, or situation that could cause harm, loss, or problems in the future.
Old electrical wiring is a serious fire risk in older apartment buildings.
fire risk — context-noun modifier
The abandoned factory was considered a health risk by the local community.
health risk — context-noun modifier
Chemical spills from nearby farms pose a major risk to the river and its wildlife.
pose a risk to [something/someone]
Airport security teams work hard to identify potential risks before they cause trouble.
Children who play near busy roads face a greater risk of accidents.
- fire risk
- health risk
- security risk
- safety risk
- pose a risk
- risk to
- protection
something that keeps harm away
- safeguard
a measure taken to prevent harm
Grammar Patterns
[context noun] + risk
risk + to + noun phrase
Usage Note
Often used as the second element of a compound: fire risk, health risk, security risk, flood risk. The determiner (a, the) or modifier (serious, major) usually comes before the compound.
3. a situation in which someone or something is likely to be harmed, damaged, or lo
a situation in which someone or something is likely to be harmed, damaged, or lost.
The firefighter put his life at risk to save a family from a burning house.
put [someone/something] at risk
Astrid knew that continuing the climb in bad weather would put everyone at risk.
Patients with weak immune systems are at risk of catching serious infections.
at risk of + gerund
The company's future is at risk unless new investors can be found very soon.
Rin refused to let her children play near the active construction site because their safety was at risk.
at risk — fixed prepositional phrase
- at risk
- put at risk
- place at risk
- at-risk (adj)
- at risk of
Grammar Patterns
at risk
put [someone/something] at risk
at risk of + noun/gerund
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in prepositional phrase form: at risk, put at risk, place at risk. Can also appear as a compound adjective: at-risk youth, at-risk patients. The preposition at is fixed — never use in risk or under risk.
Common Mistakes
4. the condition of accepting full legal or personal responsibility for any harm, l
the condition of accepting full legal or personal responsibility for any harm, loss, or damage that may occur.
The sign at the pool read: 'Swim at your own risk. No lifeguard on duty.'
at your own risk — disclaimer formula
Anyone who enters the abandoned building does so at their own risk.
Before signing the rental contract, Niran understood he was renting the property at his own risk.
at [one's] own risk — legal disclaimer formula
Lending money to strangers without a written agreement is done at your own risk.
- at your own risk
- at one's own risk
Grammar Patterns
at [one's] own risk
Usage Note
Exclusively used in the fixed formula at your own risk / at one's own risk, typically on warning signs, legal disclaimers, or contracts. Never modified by adjectives. Do not confuse with the STATE OF DANGER sense (at risk), which lacks own and does not imply legal responsibility.
Common Mistakes
5. an action or decision taken even though it might lead to something bad — usually
an action or decision taken even though it might lead to something bad — usually because you hope the result will be positive.
Iris took a big risk by investing her savings in the new tech start-up company.
take a risk — collocation pattern
Ramón knew he might fail, but he was willing to take that risk anyway.
Starting your own business is a risk that many people are not willing to take.
The team ran the risk of getting lost by taking an unmapped desert route.
run the risk of + gerund
Mia accepted the risk of losing her savings when she invested in her friend's restaurant.
accept the risk of + gerund — collocation pattern
- take a risk
- run a risk
- face risks
- worth the risk
- calculated risk
Grammar Patterns
take a risk
run the risk of + noun/gerund
face risks
Usage Note
Frequently collocates with take (take a risk) or run (run the risk of). Run the risk of is more common in British English than take the risk of. Both can be followed by of + gerund to name the potential bad outcome.
Common Mistakes
at risk
idiomIn a situation where something bad may happen.
Elderly people are at risk during extreme heat waves.
The company's data was at risk after the security breach.
Used before saying something that might seem rude or stupid.
At the risk of sounding silly, what is a meme?
At the risk of offending you, I think your plan needs work.
With the possibility of harming yourself or someone else.
She rescued the kitten at risk to her own safety.
He entered the burning building at risk to himself.
To do something knowing the dangers and accepting responsibility.
Swim in the lake at your own risk.
Parking here is at your own risk.
To be in a situation where something bad could happen.
If you don't wear a helmet, you run the risk of injury.
Investors run risks when they put money in new companies.
To do something even though it might have bad results.
She decided to take a risk and start her own business.
He doesn't like to take risks with his health.
risk — verb
1. to choose to do something even though you know that it could have a bad or unwan
to choose to do something even though you know that it could have a bad or unwanted result — like being late, losing money, or failing at a task.
Adina risked being late for the meeting by taking a longer scenic route.
risk + gerund (being late)
Rachel risked missing her flight by stopping for coffee at the busy airport.
No one was willing to risk losing their job by complaining about the new policy.
The coach risked playing the youngest team member in the most important match.
risk + gerund (playing)
The plan sounds dangerous, but we should risk it and see what happens.
risk it — standalone pronoun object
- risk + gerund
- risk it
- risk + noun
- risk + pronoun
- avoid
to stay away from something deliberately
- play it safe
to act cautiously and avoid risk
Grammar Patterns
risk + gerund
risk + noun phrase
risk it
Usage Note
Followed by a gerund (risk being late, risk losing everything) or a noun phrase (risk your money, risk it). Never use to + infinitive after risk. The pronoun it as object is common in informal contexts: 'I'll risk it.'
Common Mistakes
2. to put something that matters to you — such as your life, health, reputation, or
to put something that matters to you — such as your life, health, reputation, or career — in a position where it could be harmed or lost.
Anjali refused to risk her reputation by lying to the board of directors.
risk + reputation — valuable object pattern
Renata would never risk her friendship with Nicholas over a small disagreement about money.
The company risked its entire future by investing too heavily in a single product line.
By driving home after drinking alcohol, you risk the safety of everyone on the road.
risk + safety — abstract valuable noun
- risk one's life
- risk one's reputation
- risk one's career
- risk one's health
- risk one's future
- jeopardize
more formal; suggests putting something serious at risk
- endanger
focuses on physical harm or safety
- compromise
weaker — suggests weakening rather than putting in immediate danger
Grammar Patterns
risk + [valuable thing]: life/reputation/future/career
Usage Note
The object must be something the subject values or depends on: life, health, reputation, career, future, friendship, safety, freedom. Contrast with the GAMBLE sense (v/1) — in v/1 the object is the bad outcome itself (risk losing), while in v/2 the object is the thing being endangered (risk your life).
Word family
- riskyadjectiveB2
- riskinessnounC1
- risk-freeadjectiveC1
- risk-takernounC1
- risk-takingnounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Risk, danger, hazard, and threat all refer to possible harm, but they differ in focus and usage. Risk emphasizes the probability or chance of a negative outcome — it is a calculation, not a condition. Danger is broader and more immediate: a burning building is a danger, while smoking carries a risk of cancer. Hazard points to a specific physical source of harm, such as a slippery floor or toxic chemical. Threat suggests an active, often intentional source: a storm threatens a coastal town; an armed intruder is a threat. In everyday language, risk is the most common choice for talking about future possibilities and decisions. For example: 'Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of injury,' but 'The icy road was a danger to drivers.'
Common collocations
Phrases
- at risk
- run the risk
- take a risk
- at one's own risk
Etymology
The word risk entered English in the 17th century from French risque, which came from Italian rischio. Earlier sources trace back to Arabic rizq (meaning 'provision, fortune, or that which God allots'), and possibly further to Latin resecum ('that which cuts', suggesting a dangerous reef). The modern English meaning shifted from a navigational term for sailing near dangerous rocks to the general idea of exposure to potential harm or loss.