gamble

1 of 2

verb

gam·​ble ˈgam-bəl 

gambled; gambling ˈgam-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

1

: to risk by gambling : wager

2

: venture, hazard

gambler

ˈgam-blər 

noun

gamble

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: an act having an element of risk

b

: something chancy

2

: the playing of a game of chance for stakes

Synonyms

Verb

• bet
• go
• lay
• play
• put
• stake
• wager

Noun

• adventure
• chance
• crapshoot
• enterprise
• flier
• flyer
• flutter [chiefly British]
• speculation
• throw
• venture

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

Verb

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. —Simone Jasper, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025

According to Roger Frock, an early FedEx executive, with the company’s finances in dire straits, Smith went to Las Vegas with the business’s last $5,000, gambled it at a blackjack table and won $27,000—enough to keep FedEx running. —David Chiu, People.com, 25 June 2025

Noun

Wolf might not be perfect, but the upside of betting on him hitting is worth the gamble. —Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 26 June 2025

That’s enough money to make staying in college the bigger gamble. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably back-formation from gambler, perhaps alteration (by dissimilation, or substitution of the frequentative suffix -le) of early Modern English gamner "player in a game," from gamen "to play" (going back to Middle English gamenen, going back to Old English gamenian, derivative of gamen game entry 1) + -er -er entry 2

Noun

noun derivative of gamble entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1757, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing gamble

• gamble away
• take a gamble

Rhymes for gamble

• amble
• bramble
• ramble
• scramble
• preamble

Kids Definition

gamble

1 of 2 verb

gam·​ble ˈgam-bəl 

gambled; gambling -b(ə-)liŋ 

1

a

: to play a game for money or property

b

: to bet on an uncertain outcome

2

: to bet something on the chance of gain : take a chance

we gambled on not being seen

3

: risk entry 2 sense 1, hazard

gambler

-blər 

noun

gamble

2 of 2 noun

1

: a risky undertaking

2

: a betting on a game of chance

Legal Definition

gamble

verb

gam·​ble ˈgam-bəl 

gambled; gambling

intransitive verb

: to risk something of value for the chance of winning a prize

transitive verb

: to risk (something) for the chance of winning a prize

gambler

-blər 

noun