risk factor

noun

: something that increases risk or susceptibility

Examples of risk factor in a Sentence

Age is one of the risk factors for this disease.

Recent Examples on the Web

Jobs compared obesity to smoking, saying the longer people live with either risk factor, the greater their chances of developing certain cancers. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026

The last risk factor, according to Adshead, is the relationship between the perpetrator and her victim, and what happens between the two on the day itself. — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026

While cigarette smoking is still the primary risk factor for lung cancer, a growing proportion of patients with the disease are nonsmokers like Lin. — Meeri Kim, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Meanwhile, China, long a major risk factor in these discussions, was no longer at the top of the worry list. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for risk factor

• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor
• contractor
• distractor
• extractor
• impactor
• protractor
• reactor
• redactor
• refractor

Kids Definition

risk factor

noun

: something that increases the possibility that something bad will happen

cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer

Medical Definition

risk factor

noun

: something that increases risk or susceptibility

poorly controlled hypertension is a risk factor for coronary heart disease