wager

noun

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wa·ger | \ ˈwā-jər

Definition of wager

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : something (such as a sum of money) risked on an uncertain event : stake

b : something on which bets are laid : gamble do a stunt as a wager

2 archaic : an act of giving a pledge to take and abide by the result of some action

wager

verb

wagered; wagering\ ˈwāj-riŋ , ˈwā-jə-

Definition of wager (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to make a bet

transitive verb

: to risk or venture on a final outcome specifically : to lay as a gamble : bet wager $5 on a horse

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Synonyms for wager

Synonyms: Noun

bet,
stake

Synonyms: Verb

bet,
gamble,
go,
lay,
play,
put,
stake

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 next big opening in town will almost surely be the $4.3-billion wager known as Resorts World Las Vegas. — Los Angeles Times, "From swimming pools to showgirls, here’s how you can tell Las Vegas is revving up," 1 Apr. 2021 Frick Madison is European art history distilled, and it’s a swaggering wager on the collection’s sufficiency and an audience’s attention span. — New York Times, "The Frick Savors the Opulence of Emptiness," 25 Feb. 2021 But some investors might not realize that the ETF is essentially a wager on the success of a few of the biggest financial stocks in the S&P 500. — Michael Wursthorn, WSJ, "Bank Heavyweights Help Financial ETF Set Record," 21 Jan. 2021 That crowded wager is already pushing one investor to explore ways to bet on business travel. — Bloomberg Wire, Dallas News, "Hotel investor with $1 billion bets on business travel rebound," 12 Mar. 2021 Ugo Amadi wasted little time gloating on social media after winning a friendly wager with head coach Pete Carroll. — oregonlive, "Seattle Seahawks’ Ugo Amadi gloats after winning a bet with Pete Carroll following the Oregon Ducks’ win over USC," 24 Dec. 2020 In 1754, the infamous scam artist, diarist, and womanizer Giacomo Girolamo Casanova reported that a certain type of high-stakes wager had come into vogue at the Ridotto. — Frederick Kaufman, The New Yorker, "A Brief History of the Hedge Fund," 19 Mar. 2021 The payoff would take place if a bettor could place a wager before a sportsbook adjusted the spread because of the news of players being held out. — Josh Peter, USA TODAY, "Playing NCAA tournaments amid COVID-19 offers bettors chances to beat oddsmakers," 17 Mar. 2021 Wall Street analysts will be watching that wager carefully: ViacomCBS stock, priced at about $71 a share Thursday morning, is on pace to hit a 52-week high. — CBS News, "Paramount+ the latest — and last — major media entrant to streaming wars," 4 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Gamblers need to be at least 21 years old, the same age required to wager at a casino. — Ryan Randazzo, The Arizona Republic, "What to know about Arizona's new sports betting measure," 14 Apr. 2021 Last week, The Athletic flooded readers' inboxes with an offer: Sign up and wager just $1 with BetMGM, and receive a year's extension on your subscription. — Gabe Lacques, USA Today, "The big bet: Sports gambling has leagues, networks and books desperate for a piece of your action," 10 Apr. 2021 There will be more regular season games to wager on than offered by the NCAA basketball tournament or pro or college football. — Carol Cain, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan's online sports betting launch was a big win. I talked to the man behind it," 3 Apr. 2021 Gambling apps like Sky Bet make it as easy to wager as to order an Uber. — Adam Satariano, New York Times, "What a Gambling App Knows About You," 24 Mar. 2021 Boozell said the fact that Illinoisans can’t wager on state teams will ultimately cost the state tax revenue, especially for this year’s tournament. — Kevin Bessler, Washington Examiner, "Illinois gamblers expected to spend millions on NCAA basketball tournament," 18 Mar. 2021 For example, the NCAA could work with operator partners to ensure that student-athletes do not wager on their platforms. — Andrew J. Silver, Forbes, "It’s March, But NCAA, Unlike Professional Leagues, Is Yet To Budge On Legal Sports Betting," 12 Mar. 2021 The speech will be a telling tale for those looking to wager on the 2024 Presidential Election odds, as Trump currently leads the race in terms of Republican options, at +800. — Zack Jones, Forbes, "Odds Expect Trump To Announce His Republican Nomination Bid At Today’s CPAC," 28 Feb. 2021 Stop by the Tourney Grounds near Beauclair and wager your money (or your life) against the ferocious Shaelmaar. — Shelly Tan, Washington Post, "Five sensational vacation destinations from the virtual worlds of video games," 25 Feb. 2021

These 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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Last Updated

17 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Wager.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wager. Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

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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

verb

English 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

informal —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

wa·ger | \ ˈwā-jər