hazard

noun haz·ard \ ˈha-zərd \

Updated on: 16 May 2018

Definition of hazard

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

2 : a source of danger

hazards on the roadway

3 a : 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

4 obsolete : stake 3a

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

— at hazard

: at stake

See hazard defined for English-language learners

See hazard defined for kids

Examples of hazard in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of hazard from the Web

Eric blows a fistful of sand into the reporter’s face, hops into his idling getaway cart, and immediately drives into a nearby water hazard.

— mark lisanti, Vanities, "The Trump Family Power Rankings: Be Best, but Not Too Best," 11 May 2018
There are some easy steps, as well as some more challenging solutions, that could help the district to better protect students and teachers from asbestos hazards.

— wendy ruderman, Philly.com, "Ways to make Philly schools healthier," 9 May 2018
What the pad of air does General anesthesia can cause body temperature to drop, a hazard on the surgical table and a hurdle in recovery.

— anne saker, Cincinnati.com, "Mason man starts with knee replacement, ends up with amputated leg," 9 May 2018
Meetings will be held in Coventry, Ellington, Hartford, Plainville and, Simsbury throughout May to discuss what can be done to minimize risks from natural hazards.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Valley Edition," 8 May 2018
Sobriety from alcohol and drugs is not required, so long as their use isn’t creating a hazard or harming other people, DeVries said.

— kimberly veklerov, San Francisco Chronicle, "Oakland to clear long-standing homeless encampment while opening new shed-homes," 7 May 2018
Premier Kitchen Products has announced a recall of nearly 19,000 mandoline slicers after finding that small blades can separate from the plastic potentially resulting in a laceration hazard.

— lindsey murray, Good Housekeeping, "19,000 Mandoline Slicers Have Been Recalled Due to Laceration Hazard," 2 May 2018
Just skip the sandwich, maybe — that’s a choking hazard.

— jess bergman, The Cut, "I Think About This a Lot: Robert De Niro Yelling ‘You Blew It!’ in Cop Land," 30 Apr. 2018
Both the temp agency and Lynnway Auto Auction, which had previously been cited for failing to protect workers from vehicle hazards, were fined by OSHA for their role in the accident.

— katie johnston, BostonGlobe.com, "Worker deaths continue to rise in Mass.," 26 Apr. 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.

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.

Origin and Etymology of hazard

Middle English, from Anglo-French hasard, from Old Spanish azar, from Arabic al-zahr the die

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

hazard Synonyms

Synonyms

accident, chance, circumstance, luck;

Near Antonyms

intent, intention, purpose;

design, outline, plan, scheme;

fluke, happenchance, happenstance;

destiny, doom, fate, fortune, lot;

danger, peril, risk;

hazard

verb

Definition of hazard

transitive verb

: to offer or present at a risk : venture

hazard a guess as to the outcome

See hazard defined for English-language learners

Examples of hazard in a Sentence

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 of hazard from the Web

The president’s budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 requested about $13 million less for the federal government’s earthquake hazards program, including $10.2 million for the earthquake early warning program.

— rong-gong lin ii, latimes.com, "Trump again seeks to end funding for earthquake early warning system," 20 Feb. 2018
The destroyer’s captain, Commander Bryce Benson, faces a number of charges including dereliction of duty, hazarding a ship, and negligent homicide.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Navy Officers Involved in Deadly Destroyer Collisions Face Court Martials," 17 Jan. 2018
They and Benson face charges of negligent homicide, dereliction of duty and hazarding a vessel.

— author: dan lamothe, Anchorage Daily News, "Navy files criminal charges in connection with deadly ship collisions, including negligent homicide," 17 Jan. 2018
The charges include negligent homicide, dereliction of duty and hazarding a vessel.

— CBS News, "Navy to file charges against ship commanders for collisions that killed 17," 16 Jan. 2018
Foley would not hazard a guess as to which way the court would rule.

— rich exner, cleveland.com, "See how the Cleveland Browns' all-time record has fallen over the years (graphic)," 15 Dec. 2017
But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth hazarding a guess.

— slate staff, Slate Magazine, "How Trump Will Change America," 24 Jan. 2017
No one would hazard a guess on when the cause of the fire might be determined. . . . . . .

— NOLA.com, "Daughter of Michael Bagneris struck by car, seriously injured," 16 Oct. 2017
All of the possibilities hazarded in the previous paragraphs are risks only.

— john o'sullivan, National Review, "Theresa May Prepares to Leave the EU," 23 Sep. 2017

Origin and Etymology of hazard

see ¹hazard

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1530

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

hazard Synonyms

Synonyms

adventure, chance, gamble (on), risk, tempt, venture;

compromise, endanger, imperil, jeopardize, menace;

expose, subject;

bet (on), wager;

Phrases

run the risk of;

HAZARD Defined for English Language Learners

hazard

noun

Definition of hazard for English Language Learners

: a source of danger
golf : something on a golf course (such as a pond or an area of sand) that makes hitting the ball into the hole more difficult

hazard

verb

Definition of hazard for English Language Learners

: to risk losing (something, such as money) in an attempt to get, win, or achieve something
: to offer (something, such as a guess or an opinion) even though you may be wrong

HAZARD Defined for Kids

hazard

noun haz·ard \ ˈha-zərd \

Definition of hazard for Students

: a source of danger

a fire hazard

History for hazard

English hazard was originally the name of a game of chance played with dice. The English word was taken from a medieval French word hasard, which in turn came by way of Spanish from an Arabic phrase az zahr, “the die” (that is, “one of the dice”).