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

Last year, my wife Luci and I made a decision that a lot of people in our life thought might be too risky. — Alicia Sanchez, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026

Being first can feel riskier than being wrong conventionally. — George Achilleos, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Among those still looking to buy, more borrowers are turning to adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs – a riskier loan product that played a role in the housing market’s buildup to the 2008 financial crisis. — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026

Cruise’s most significant Oscar swing in years is a movie that asks audiences to take a position, and that’s a much riskier way to campaign for a statue. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 Sep. 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