wager

1 of 3

noun (1)

wa·​ger ˈwā-jər 

1

a

: something (such as a sum of money) risked on an uncertain event : stake

b

: something on which bets are laid : gamble

do a stunt as a wager

2

archaic : an act of giving a pledge to take and abide by the result of some action

wager

2 of 3

verb

wagered; wagering

ˈwāj-riŋ, 

ˈwā-jə- 

intransitive verb

: to make a bet

transitive verb

: to risk or venture on a final outcome

specifically : to lay as a gamble : bet

wager $5 on a horse

wagerer

ˈwā-jər-ər 

noun

wagerer

3 of 3

noun (2)

wa·​ger·​er ˈwājərə(r) 

plural -s

: one that wagers : bettor

Synonyms of wager

Noun (1)

• stake
• bet

Verb

• bet
• put

Examples of wager in a Sentence

Noun (1)

He has a wager on the game.

I don't think the horse will win. What's your wager?

Verb

She wagered $50 on the game.

I wouldn't wager against them.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Harb continued to place bets with Azim, who failed to make the wagers due to a lack of funds, police said. —Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026

As prediction market wagers are not considered sports betting, the gambling rules do not apply. —Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

Verb

Some buzz in and wager a guess, while others avoid getting penalized for a wrong response. —Louis Peitzman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026

Table tennis remains one of the most popular sports for Colorado gamblers to bet on, with $989 million wagered since legalization. —Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English wageour pledge, bet, from Anglo-French wageure, from *wager

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1602, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing wager

• place/make a wager

Rhymes for wager

• ager
• gauger
• pager
• stager
• yager
• teenager

Kids Definition

wager

1 of 2 noun

wa·​ger ˈwā-jər 

1

: something (as a sum of money) risked on an uncertain event : bet

2

: something (as the outcome of a game or race) on which a bet is made

: gamble

wager

2 of 2 verb

wagered; wagering ˈwāj-(ə-)riŋ 

: to bet on the outcome of a contest or question

wagerer

ˈwā-jər-ər 

noun