as in bet
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
Washington gambled that losing some to inoculation was better than losing a war to the virus.
—
Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2026
On Wednesday, Kalshi announced that three politicians running for federal office had gambled on their own elections.
—CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
On Wednesday, Kalshi announced that three politicians running for federal office had gambled on their own elections.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
More than 70% of Connecticut’s undergraduate students have gambled, with 17% reporting it at a moderate level, according to a survey of 1,300 students at 30 higher education institutions across the state conducted by two UConn researchers.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
The Saints gambled by not making a single substitution until the final minute of the game, nearly becoming the first team since 1979 to play its starters all 40 minutes.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
The moves were a complete departure from last year, when the Rams wrongly gambled that a young and aggressive pass rush could offset their decision to not make a single upgrade to the secondary.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Gamblers Anonymous has reported young men showing up in droves across the country, and one survey found that nearly one-third of 11-year-old boys had gambled in the past year.
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
In this race, Delray Mayor Tom Carney also gambled — and lost.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2026
On Wednesday, Kalshi announced that three politicians running for federal office had gambled on their own elections.
—CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
On Wednesday, Kalshi announced that three politicians running for federal office had gambled on their own elections.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
More than 70% of Connecticut’s undergraduate students have gambled, with 17% reporting it at a moderate level, according to a survey of 1,300 students at 30 higher education institutions across the state conducted by two UConn researchers.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
The Saints gambled by not making a single substitution until the final minute of the game, nearly becoming the first team since 1979 to play its starters all 40 minutes.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
The moves were a complete departure from last year, when the Rams wrongly gambled that a young and aggressive pass rush could offset their decision to not make a single upgrade to the secondary.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Gamblers Anonymous has reported young men showing up in droves across the country, and one survey found that nearly one-third of 11-year-old boys had gambled in the past year.
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
In this race, Delray Mayor Tom Carney also gambled — and lost.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambled
Verb
-
Despite the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed and oil inventories rapidly dwindling, investors are betting that the current ceasefire will be extended with a lasting peace eventually reopening the strait.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
10 May 2026
-
Buckley opened as a +150 underdog and was bet up to a -220 favorite, setting off alarms among bookmakers and the UFC itself.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Her team quickly put together a plan to help coördinate repairs, secure new electrical generators, implement a triage system, and organize trainings for staff.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
The Bengals, who at one point trailed 6-1, put the game on ice with eight runs in the bottom of the sixth.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The severity of the punishment is based on dollar amounts wagered, whether the athlete bet on their own sport and whether the bet impacted games.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
6 May 2026
-
Before the game, Rozier allegedly tipped off a group of bettors, who wagered on his plan to leave early — generating tens of thousands of dollars in profits.—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Curry played in five games after surgery to repair a broken second metacarpal.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
-
Nobody had seen a second round playoff game played in Minnesota in more than a decade.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gambled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambled. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
