hazard

noun

haz·ard | \ ˈha-zərd

Definition of hazard

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a source of danger hazards on the roadway

2a : the effect of unpredictable and unanalyzable forces in determining events : chance, risk the hazards involved in owning your own business men and women danced together, women danced together, men danced together, as hazard had brought them together— Charles Dickens

b : a chance event : accident looked like a fugitive, who had escaped from something in clothes caught up at hazard— Willa Cather

3 : a golf-course obstacle (such as a bunker or a pond)

4 : a game of chance like craps played with two dice

5 obsolete : stake sense 3a

at hazard

: at stake

hazard

verb

hazarded; hazarding; hazards

Definition of hazard (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to offer or present at a risk : venture hazard a guess as to the outcome

Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about hazard

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Did You Know?

At first hazard was a game of chance played with dice. The English word comes from medieval French, in which the game was called hasard. This French word was probably borrowed from Arabic az-zahr, meaning “the dice” or “one of the dice.” The game was borrowed from the French by the English, and within a few centuries what had been a chance taken on the outcome of a throw of the dice could be any venture or risk. Now “chance” or “venture” and “risk” or “peril” are the usual meanings of hazard. The verb hazard emerged in the 16th century.

Examples of hazard in a Sentence

Noun

the tumbledown old barn was considered a fire hazard it was only by hazard and good fortune that we found our way back to the trail

Verb

His friend asked him to hazard a small sum in a business venture. just so the tourists could see the sea lions up close, the captain needlessly hazarded his ship

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Novelty for the sake of novelty is an occupational hazard of food writing and recipe testing. — Becky Krystal, The Denver Post, "The key to these gooey, chocolaty blondies? Open sesame.," 3 June 2019 Despite the claims, experts say that crib bumpers are a hazard, increasing the risks of suffocation, strangulation, and entrapment. — Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, "Are Crib Bumpers Safe? Experts Say Not Even Those "Breathable" Mesh Ones Should Be Used," 29 Apr. 2019 The presence of tools and debris in aircraft is a serious safety hazard. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Air Force Halts Tanker Deliveries After Finding Planes Are Full of Trash," 4 Mar. 2019 Crews are heading to the scene to determine whether the spill is a hazard. — Wbtv, charlotteobserver, "Diesel fuel spill closes lane on east Charlotte road," 20 June 2018 The tower would have been a hazard to planes taking off and landing from the Bethany field so the airport’s 41-year run was ended. — Peter Marteka, courant.com, "Hiking At Abandoned Bethany Airport," 23 Mar. 2018 Despite the constant hazards that have devastated coral reefs around the world, some coral communities have still managed to recover and persevere. — National Geographic, "These 38 Coral Reefs Are Thriving, Despite Threats," 18 June 2018 From there Dentino had to play from a bunker to set up a close putt as a reborn Gillard lifted his ball over the hazard and near the cup. — Jordan Guskey, Indianapolis Star, "IHSAA boys golf: Carmel wins team title by 1 shot," 13 June 2018 That person must also be empowered to take action to correct the hazard. — Yvonne Wenger, baltimoresun.com, "Investigation into fatal trench collapse at Baltimore park could take weeks," 8 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Government agencies, including the FBI, CIA, and NSA, declined to hazard a guess, or, indeed, to offer any comment at all. — Popular Mechanics, "How Many Spies Are Currently Living in the U.S.?," 14 May 2017 In those 30 days, Hurley and Adams spoke and texted countless times, too many for either to hazard a guess. — Dom Amore, courant.com, "UConn Men: Dan Hurley's Brutal Honesty, Tough Love, Resonates With Jalen Adams," 20 June 2018 The greatest ongoing hazard stems from the lava flows and the hot, toxic gases spewing from open fissure vents close to homes and critical infrastructure, said Charles Mandeville of the U.S. Geological Survey's volcano hazards program. — CBS News, "Hawaii lava flow ramps up as new magma mixes with old," 20 May 2018 Researchers have hazarded several theories for what happened in Havana. — Josh Chin, WSJ, "U.S. Evacuates Workers From China After Complaints of Mystery Illness," 7 June 2018 The greatest ongoing hazard stems from the lava flows and the hot, toxic gases spewing from open fissure vents close to homes and critical infrastructure, said Charles Mandeville of the U.S. Geological Survey's volcano hazards program. — CBS News, "Hawaii lava flow ramps up as new magma mixes with old," 20 May 2018 The greatest ongoing hazard stems from the lava flows and the hot, toxic gases spewing from open fissure vents close to homes and critical infrastructure, said Charles Mandeville of the U.S. Geological Survey's volcano hazards program. — Fox News, "Hawaii officials warn residents about latest lava flow," 19 May 2018 Benson is accused of negligent homicide, dereliction of duty and hazarding a vessel, and recently waived his right to an Article 32 hearing, a public airing of the facts that had been scheduled for May 21 at the Washington Navy Yard. — Dan Lamothe, Washington Post, "Navy ‘callous’ in how it describes deadly USS Fitzgerald collision, attorneys allege," 16 May 2018 The greatest ongoing hazard stems from the lava flows and the hot, toxic gases spewing from open fissure vents close to homes and critical infrastructure, said Charles Mandeville of the U.S. Geological Survey's volcano hazards program. — CBS News, "Hawaii lava flow ramps up as new magma mixes with old," 20 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hazard.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.