take a flier

phrase

US, informal

: to do something that could have either good or bad results : to gamble on something risky

He took a flier in politics soon after getting his degree.

—often + on

Investors have been unwilling to take a flier on such a small and unproven company.

Examples of take a flier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Nets waived him last week, leaving the 29-year-old wing looking for someone willing to take a flier on his health. — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026

Should the Tigers decide to take a flier on Gruden, the entertainment aspect would be real. — Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025

Okay, take a flier on Bourne if Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings are out again, but that sounds unlikely. — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

There should be teams around the league willing to take a flier on a young wing with that size, despite a lackluster production level in Dallas. — Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Rhymes for take a flier

• amplifier
• clarifier
• classifier
• gasifier
• magnifier
• modifier
• multiplier
• occupier
• pacifier
• purifier
• qualifier
• quantifier