gambled

past tense of gamble
as in wagered
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event a foolish man who gambled his life savings on the lottery

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gambled The costume designer’s work has always gambled with class systems and history. Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025 When Patrick Dorgu headed Noussair Mazraoui’s cross from the right back across goal, Fernandes gambled to finish from inside the six-yard box. Mark Critchley, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025 Bayrou also gambled by calling the confidence vote—a move that swiftly backfired as lawmakers on both the left and far right joined forces to topple his government and ratchet up pressure on Macron. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 To ensure that money gambled is legally obtained, anyone wishing to bet more than $10,000 must be vetted by a casino’s compliance team, with gaming venues required to verify a prospective heavy bettor’s source of funds (SOF). David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025 Devitt said bathrooms at OPRF had become a place where students vaped, hid out to ditch classes, fought, gambled and in general did things that they were not supposed to do. Bob Skolnik, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025 France lurched into a political crisis after Prime Minister Francois Bayrou gambled on a confidence vote, with little hope of any quick solution to fix its ailing public finances, whether a new government or a snap parliamentary election comes next. Reuters, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025 For a while, Israeli and Palestinian leaders invested in diplomacy, gambled on its effectiveness, and trusted in its primacy over force, out of political calculation, tactical considerations, or both. Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025 Smith gambled multiple times at Ivory’s home in the 5400 block of Blackmore Avenue from February 2025 up until the night before he was shot, according to the affidavit. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambled
Verb
  • Advertisement Pascal wagered on eternal matters.
    Toby Stuart, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
  • And in Muniz versus Dominic Calvert-Lewin, these were the two target men United’s recruitment team had wagered would make the difference in keeping the club up this season.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next.
    Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
  • In choosing the former economic security minister as its leader, the Liberal Democratic Party is essentially betting on a swing back to the right to attract the younger voters who have flocked to smaller populist outfits, including the arch-conservative Sanseito party.
    Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Let the filter dry completely before putting it back and using the blow dryer again.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Notre Dame had a 79-yard TD drive in the third quarter and a 52-yarder in the fourth to put the game away.
    Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 5 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gambled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambled. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gambled

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!