Russian roulette
noun
1
: an act of bravado consisting of spinning the cylinder of a revolver loaded with one cartridge, pointing the muzzle at one's own head, and pulling the trigger
2
: something resembling Russian roulette in its potential for disaster
Taking cocaine is playing Russian roulette.—
Jonathan Nicholas
Jonathan NicholasExamples of Russian roulette in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His regular blood tests feel like playing Russian roulette.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The governor is playing Russian roulette with people’s lives.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Stories of the violence committed under Burge — including beatings, electric shock, suffocation with typewriter covers and games of Russian roulette — proved to have a long reach.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Choosing one is no longer like playing Russian roulette with your tastebuds.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for Russian roulette
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Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The governor is playing Russian roulette with people’s lives.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Stories of the violence committed under Burge — including beatings, electric shock, suffocation with typewriter covers and games of Russian roulette — proved to have a long reach.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Choosing one is no longer like playing Russian roulette with your tastebuds.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for Russian roulette
Cite this Entry
“Russian roulette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Russian%20roulette. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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