as in threats
something that may cause injury or harm
mountain climbing is a risk, but the thrill and challenge are worth it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in hazards
to take a chance on
Colette didn't want to risk running out of food for her party, so she bought twice what she thought she would actually need
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in endangers
to place in danger
we refuse to risk our life savings on this investment scheme
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 risks
Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 May 2026
For a generation of homeowners, China’s housing crisis has shown that even property investment has its risks.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
Wallace, Lu Dort and Alex Caruso all defend at the wing with physicality, smarts and effort, which enables Gilgeous-Alexander to take risks defensively and conserve his workload on the offensive end.
—Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Rescue teams explored two chambers Friday but were forced to stop because of decompression risks.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
The club’s medical staff grades all prospective targets on their injury risks, and Calvert-Lewin was not marked at the highest end of that spectrum.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 17 May 2026
But there are other possible CAR T risks for autoimmune patients.
—Amber Dance, ArsTechnica, 17 May 2026
Highlighting his emergency response to the Palisades Fire, Allen has a four step plan to stabilize the market, hold the industry accountable, transform the Department into a rapid-response agency and reduce risks.
—Teagan Davidge, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
To minimize risks during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises incorporating frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Francisca Mutapi, semafor.com, 18 May 2026
All of which risks tipping the delicate balance into chaos and gridlock, critics warn.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
But that interpretation risks confusing resilience with delay.
—Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
So Arab governments face a growing dilemma because maintaining ties with Israel and the US risks a domestic backlash but breaking ties could damage security and economic interests.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 15 May 2026
Without legislative action, Illinois risks losing a critical financing tool at the very moment affordable housing development faces unprecedented challenges.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Conservators have warned that any transport risks tears, material loss and irreversible damage to the 950-year-old embroidery.
—Annika Erikson, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2026
Otherwise, Kwan risks an automatic 0-1 deficit every trip to the plate.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 13 May 2026
In taking on such an iconic figure—one whose compositions have been deconstructed and reconstructed in seemingly every possible direction—the group risks revealing the method to its madness.
—Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026
Noun
Analysts have raised concerns about concentration risks in South Korea's stock market, with an overreliance on a small group of companies raising the risk of volatility and vulnerability to geopolitical shocks, including a slowdown in data-center spending.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 May 2026
For a generation of homeowners, China’s housing crisis has shown that even property investment has its risks.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
Wallace, Lu Dort and Alex Caruso all defend at the wing with physicality, smarts and effort, which enables Gilgeous-Alexander to take risks defensively and conserve his workload on the offensive end.
—Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Rescue teams explored two chambers Friday but were forced to stop because of decompression risks.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
The club’s medical staff grades all prospective targets on their injury risks, and Calvert-Lewin was not marked at the highest end of that spectrum.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 17 May 2026
But there are other possible CAR T risks for autoimmune patients.
—Amber Dance, ArsTechnica, 17 May 2026
Highlighting his emergency response to the Palisades Fire, Allen has a four step plan to stabilize the market, hold the industry accountable, transform the Department into a rapid-response agency and reduce risks.
—Teagan Davidge, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
To minimize risks during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises incorporating frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Verb
Reliance on external infrastructure therefore risks leaving African countries dependent not only on foreign technology providers, but on foreign legal frameworks governing sensitive health information.
—Francisca Mutapi, semafor.com, 18 May 2026
All of which risks tipping the delicate balance into chaos and gridlock, critics warn.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
But that interpretation risks confusing resilience with delay.
—Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
So Arab governments face a growing dilemma because maintaining ties with Israel and the US risks a domestic backlash but breaking ties could damage security and economic interests.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 15 May 2026
Without legislative action, Illinois risks losing a critical financing tool at the very moment affordable housing development faces unprecedented challenges.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Conservators have warned that any transport risks tears, material loss and irreversible damage to the 950-year-old embroidery.
—Annika Erikson, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2026
Otherwise, Kwan risks an automatic 0-1 deficit every trip to the plate.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 13 May 2026
In taking on such an iconic figure—one whose compositions have been deconstructed and reconstructed in seemingly every possible direction—the group risks revealing the method to its madness.
—Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for risks
Noun
-
Real agencies usually provide clear, specific notices, not a long list of escalating threats in a single text.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Peter Cade | Photodisc | Getty Images Many retirees worry about how threats like inflation, living longer or market volatility could impact their nest egg.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Forecasters say confidence is lower in the exact timing, where storms will be strongest, and which hazards will be most likely.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Clothes Iron and Steamer Many cruise lines have policies forbidding the use of clothes irons and steamers and won’t allow these fire hazards onboard.—
Jill Schildhouse,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has accused Pope Leo XIV of being soft on terrorism and supporting negotiations with Iran, claiming the pontiff endangers Catholics by failing to oppose Iran’s potential acquisition of nuclear weapons.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
The teaser also reveals that the titular character has a huge company, which endangers millions with a drilling operation that goes too far.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The optics of the ceremony soon sparked backlash from the faithful and religious leaders, many of whom drew a parallel to biblical scripture Exodus 32, which warns believers about the dangers of creating false idols and worshiping other gods.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
-
Blanchett has long been vocal about the dangers of AI.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
For Coel, that story sometimes ventures beyond friendship.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Magaletti ventures a tentative introduction of brushes on snares; following the muted peal of distant thunder, upsammy chimes in with a plangent synthesizer sequence reminiscent of Arovane and other IDM producers from around the turn of the millennium.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But even summarizing the first absolute banger of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival this way threatens to boil the film down to its themes and its craft, the way Kris does with the original Camp Miasma, at the cost of delving into the experience of watching it.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
14 May 2026
-
Alex Wong / Getty Images In a nod to the historic nature of the summit, ahead of the bilateral talks, Xi invoked the Thucydides Trap — a theory that describes the tendency toward conflict when an emerging power threatens an existing power.—
Katherine Doyle,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
One of those women, Kris (Lauren Bittner), whose entire demeanor screams former head cheerleader, finally confronts Patricia at her sunset and cocktails event.—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
-
This conversation also rarely confronts the workforce problem.—
Jonathan Slater,
STAT,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Looking ahead, Friday is still expected to be rain-free but chances increase on Saturday and Sunday.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
The rainfall chances in South Florida over the next seven days.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Risks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/risks. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
