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

The borrowers — mostly smaller companies that banks would consider too risky or complex for a traditional loan — pay a higher interest rate in exchange for quick access to capital and flexible financing terms. —Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026

All the while, the Seahawks avoided other aggressive, risky avenues at quarterback. —Jeff Howe, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Bernard LaFayette, the advance man who did the risky groundwork for the voter registration campaign in Selma, Alabama, that culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, has died, according to the Associated Press. —CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

Aircraft typically use missiles to strike surface ships, as an aircraft would need to make a risky close approach to get within torpedo range. —James Dwyer, Fortune, 6 Mar. 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