Definition of risk factor
: something that increases risk or susceptibility
What's Trending Now
More Trending Words
Examples of risk factor in a Sentence
Age is one of the risk factors for this disease.
Recent Examples of risk factor from the Web
-
Items listed correspond to risk factors that are most often associated with foodborne illness.
-
Anxiety is also a risk factor for behaviors that maintain the cycle of poverty.
-
To own a property that someone else covets is one of several risk factors.
-
Some of the biggest risk factors for cardiac disease, including smoking, lack of exercise and a high fat diet, are easier to change if a person has a spouse who is enthusiastic about such alterations.
-
Asking patients about childhood experiences helped her better address the underlying risk factors contributing to their poor health.
-
Elevated blood pressure in children predicts high blood pressure in adults, a leading risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.
-
Making matters worse, rates of obesity, a major risk factor for pregnancy complications, are higher in rural than urban areas.
-
My only risk factor is being over age 50 (risk of colon and rectal cancer increases with age).
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'risk factor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of risk factor
1949
RISK FACTOR Defined for English Language Learners
risk factor
Definition of risk factor for English Language Learners
-
: something that increases risk; especially : something that makes a person more likely to get a particular disease or condition
Medical Dictionary
risk factor
medical Definition of risk factor
: something that increases risk or susceptibility
- poorly controlled hypertension is a risk factor for coronary heart disease
Learn More about risk factor
-
Britannica English: Translation of risk factor for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about risk factor
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up risk factor? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
