risky

1 of 2

adjective

ˈri-skē 

riskier; riskiest

: involving the possibility of risk or danger : hazardous

riskiness noun

riskiness

2 of 2

noun

risk·​i·​ness

-kēnə̇s, 

-kin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being risky : chanciness

Synonyms of risky

Adjective

• 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

Adjective

Her plan is too risky.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Within a year of creating the plan, lawmakers were confronted by allegations the insurance industry was using it as a dumping ground for its risky policies to maximize profit. — Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Banks or trade partners may view a transaction as simply too risky. — Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

But China’s leaders, facing their own domestic challenges and preoccupied with their own grip on power, may decide that imposing these innovations on the masses is simply too risky—for their own sake, if not for the sake of humanity. — Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026

Reliance on a centralized location to run AI models looks riskier at a time when large data centers have been targeted and destroyed during the war between the US and Iran. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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