gambling

Definition of gamblingnext
present participle of gamble
as in betting
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 gambling Chuck had been gambling instead of attending college classes, so the young couple soon split. Alex Ross, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026 Each year, the state awards millions in grants to nonprofits that are focused on gambling addiction. Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026 One place the Colorado coach won’t go — gambling on the college game, the likes of which has generated a scandal inside the very conference his team resides. ABC News, 15 June 2026 Even gambling on news events that ProPublica would most likely not cover, like next year’s presidential election in France, isn’t a good look for a journalist. Diego Sorbara, ProPublica, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gambling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambling
Verb
  • Leaders making these cuts now are betting on which outcome arrives.
    Cindy Rodriguez Constable, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • In March, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a lawsuit against Kalshi for allegedly violating the state's Lawful Sports Betting Act by allowing residents to participate in sports betting under the form of trading event contracts.
    DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Backdoor betting refers to wagering through less regulated channels like prediction markets, rather than highly regulated state casinos and sportsbooks.
    Matt Motta, Fortune, 23 June 2026
  • The Post also analyzed the money spent to show how much people are wagering, which sports are most popular for betting, and how much revenue sportsbooks are earning.
    Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong and Bregman both tagged and advanced on the sequence, putting runners on second and third for Suzuki.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026
  • Gakpo's teammates came onto the filed to support him and formed a circle around him, putting their arms around each other as the crowd cheered, as shown in another video shared by Fox Sports.
    Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gambling. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on gambling

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster