Thesaurus results for GAMBLING

gambling

verb

Definition of gambling

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

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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 That is gambling with the stability of CPS and asking our students, employees, families and taxpayers to cover the losses. — Angel Gutierrez, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Belgium's gambling regulator went further in 2018, ruling that paid boxes with randomized contents were gambling under existing law, and publishers pulled them from games sold there. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The bet was clearly a lighthearted joke between friends, but after posting it, the WNBA seems to have regretted the optics of the league promoting two players gambling on a game, which is prohibited in the league’s collective bargaining agreement. — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026 Driven by desperation, the migrants are gambling that the consequences of getting caught in Canada will outweigh the risks of remaining in the United States, the Mounties and human rights officials said. — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026 Part of their suspensions involved undergoing therapy and educating the next generation about the risks posed by gambling. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 July 2026 But a federal judge blocked the prosecution, finding that federal law pre-empts the state’s laws on gambling. — Samantha Elkins, NBC news, 27 July 2026 That tone was echoed by senators at a commerce committee hearing in May, when a bipartisan chorus said those contracts amounted to nothing more than gambling. — Davis Giangiulio,justin Papp, CNBC, 21 July 2026 There are likely fans and members of the public who now believe Harper—who has a footwear and apparel deal with Under Armour and whose jersey is among the top sellers in MLB—urged a gambling addict to keep gambling. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gambling

Verb

Now, with Arraez inserted into the lineup and Harper returning to the outfield, the Phillies are betting that a defensive sacrifice from one of their biggest stars will ultimately make the roster more dangerous.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Westinghouse is betting on a single reactor platform to serve both today’s large nuclear power plants and the next generation of small modular reactors.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of betting

Verb

Federal prosecutors say that Rozier agreed to accept a $100,000 payment to take himself out early from that 2023 Hornets game so that a group of sports gamblers could win money wagering on his prop bets.

— Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Thus, rather than taking home over 90% of the wagering revenues in after-tax income, those profits would be cut almost in half, significantly impacting their bottom line.

— Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of wagering

Verb

Amazon shares gained 4% and hit a new all-time high on Monday, putting its market cap over the $3 trillion threshold for the first time following a better-than-expected earnings report last week.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
But goals like putting data centers in space would take multiple years, if not decades, to accomplish.

— John Towfighi, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026