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

Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease — and midlife hormonal changes increase the chances of developing insulin resistance, which massively ups the chances of developing diabetes. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2026

That's translated directly into financial risk, with Anthropic poised to list negative public opinion towards AI and data centers as a risk factor in its forthcoming IPO prospectus. — Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026

And a growing body of evidence points to manufactured housing as a major risk factor across the country. — Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026

This matters because consistently consuming too much sodium can raise blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Sep. 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