risky

adjective

ˈri-skē 

riskier; riskiest

: attended with risk or danger : hazardous

riskiness noun

Synonyms

• dangerous
• grave
• grievous
• hazardous
• jeopardizing
• menacing
• parlous
• perilous
• serious
• threatening
• unhealthy
• unsafe
• venturesome

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

However, bringing a drug to market is not only very expensive with a very lengthy payoff period, the business is also very risky. —John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025

However, with most flights now offering antibacterial wipes and long-haul routes undergoing more extensive cleaning, the routine is arguably not much riskier than applying makeup at home. —Isabelle Rodney, CNN Money, 20 May 2025

One exception to this rule authorizes workers’ compensation benefits where the employment makes the employee’s commute especially risky. —Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2025

But those pills are in early development and those products are years from entering the market, meaning the agreement is still risky. —Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 19 May 2025

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