risky

adjective

ˈri-skē 

riskier; riskiest

: involving the possibility of risk or danger : hazardous

riskiness noun

Synonyms of risky

• dangerous
• hazardous
• perilous
• serious

Choose the Right Synonym for risky

dangerous, hazardous, precarious, perilous, risky mean bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury.

dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

Examples of risky in a Sentence

Her plan is too risky.

Recent Examples on the Web

Reserve Self-Automator approaches for truly routine tasks, not the core or risky ones, and where skill development is not a concern. —François Candelon, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026

Shutdowns are politically risky but Democrats feel changing winds on immigration enforcement as White House walks a new tightrope. —Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026

Things like inflation, central bank interest rate changes, and currency fluctuations all affect whether people see Bitcoin as a risky asset to buy when the economy is good or, alternatively, a safe haven when things are unstable. —K.h. Koehler, jsonline.com, 29 Jan. 2026

After age 30, people lose, on average, 3% to 5% of their muscle mass each decade, which is an especially risky trajectory for women, Rachele Pojednic, PhD, EdM, FACSM, a nutrition and exercise researcher, and director of education at Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, tells SELF. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing risky

• risky business
• risky move

Rhymes for risky

• frisky
• whiskey
• whisky

Kids Definition

risky

adjective

ˈris-kē 

riskier; riskiest

: having or bringing risk : dangerous