wager
noun
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Definition of wager
(Entry 1 of 2)
wager
verb
ˈwā-jə-
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Definition of wager (Entry 2 of 2)
: to make a bet
: to risk or venture on a final outcome specifically : to lay as a gamble : bet wager $5 on a horse
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Other words from wager
Verb
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noun
Synonyms for wager
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Verb
bet, gamble, go, lay, play, put, stake
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Examples of wager in a Sentence
Noun
He has a wager on the game. I don't think the horse will win. What's your wager?Verb
She wagered $50 on the game. I wouldn't wager against them.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The wager was not serious; Jansen still pondered it as Puig left the room. — Andy Mccullough, latimes.com, "Dodgers offense overcomes loss of Dennis Santana in 8-7 win over Pirates," 7 June 2018 The ruling eases some of the political challenges to sports wagers and comes as the Oregon Lottery commission is actively looking to expand its offerings and increase revenue. — Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com, "Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game 2 score, TV channel, how to watch live stream," 15 May 2018 Much more complicated: Actually running your own sports book and profiting directly from the wagers. — Peter Kafka, Recode, "Sports betting could soon be legalized in the U.S. Media companies can’t wait.," 5 May 2018 There’s quite a difference between a weekly office pool and making a halftime wager on Bears-Eagles from your smartphone between bites of pecan-crusted salmon with lemon glaze. — Norman Chad, San Antonio Express-News, "Chad: Don’t worry about bookies as gambling proliferates," 21 May 2018 And yes, the way a horse looks right before can affect the way a handicapper wagers. — Rachel Aretakis, The Courier-Journal, "Everything you need to know about Kentucky Derby 2018," 2 May 2018 Hey @MayorLandrieu -- any interest in making a wager on the @warriors vs @PelicansNBA playoff series? — NOLA.com, "New Orleans mayor bets on Pelicans victory over Warriors," 28 Apr. 2018 The standard wager is a $1 Nassau, meaning $3 are at risk. — Teddy Greenstein, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago’s version of Augusta National plays host to inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open," 5 July 2018 The combined carryover is more than $800,000 and betting in this wager is expected to approach $4 million. — John Cherwa, latimes.com, "Racing! Justify has yet another day in the sun," 24 June 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
But polls suggest outright victory could turn out to be harder than the firebrand president initially wagered. — NBC News, "Erdogan clings to power as polls tighten ahead of Turkey's snap election," 23 June 2018 The actions taken by the board are the first in our efforts to launch sports wagering in Pennsylvania as soon as possible. — Justine Mcdaniel, Philly.com, "Del. set to launch sports betting next week; Pa. opens petitions for casinos to conduct wagering," 31 May 2018 Gary Gray led the Ducks' compliance department throughout the entire scope of legal sports wagering in the state, until his retirement in 2013 after nearly three decades. — Andrew Greif, OregonLive.com, "Among Oregon athletic directors, sports betting's potential return sparks hope and concern," 24 May 2018 To wager on the underdog Croatia (+$200), place $100 to win $200. — Ed Barkowitz, Philly.com, "Atlantic City bookies offer odds and props for Sunday's World Cup final between France and Croatia," 13 July 2018 No one knows what the future holds, and using your retirement savings to wager on the market’s near-term direction is a fool’s errand. — Michael J. Francis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "401(k) Adviser: Let strategy, not fear of emulating Wile E. Coyote, be your guide," 22 June 2018 As the landscape shifts in Montgomery, the state capital, the consequences may reverberate across the South, where nearby states gladly rake in billions of dollars that Alabamians are not allowed to wager at home. — Alan Blinder, The Seattle Times, "Alabama’s longtime hostility to gambling shows signs of fading," 10 June 2018 The Oakland Athletics were willing to wager the ninth overall pick in the draft on Kyler Murray's baseball future. — USA TODAY, "Kyler Murray: Agrees to $5 million deal with A's, one-and-done stint as Oklahoma QB, per report," 6 June 2018 Or stopping at a kiosk at Staples Center to bet on the number of assists by Lonzo Ball, or at a booth inside Angel Stadium to wager on whether Shohei Ohtani winds up with more pitching wins or home runs. — Sam Farmer, latimes.com, "It's a safe bet that Supreme Court decision will be a game-changer for pro sports leagues," 15 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wager.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for wager
wager
noun
English Language Learners Definition of wager
(Entry 1 of 2)
: an agreement in which people try to guess what will happen and the person who guesses wrong has to give something (such as money) to the person who guesses right
: the money or other valuable thing that you could win or lose in a bet
wager
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of wager (Entry 2 of 2)
: to risk losing something (such as money) if your guess about what will happen is wrong
—used in the phrase I'll wager to indicate what you think will happen or what you believe is probably true
See the full definition for wager in the English Language Learners Dictionary
wager
noun
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Kids Definition of wager
(Entry 1 of 2)
2 : the act of betting
wager
verbKids Definition of wager (Entry 2 of 2)
: to bet on the result of a contest or question
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