bet

1 of 3

noun

1
a
: something that is laid, staked, or pledged typically between two parties on the outcome of a contest or a contingent issue : wager
often used figuratively in such phrases as all bets are off to stress the uncertainty of an outcome
b
: the act of giving such a pledge
2
: something to wager on
3
: a choice made by consideration of probabilities
your best bet is the back road

bet

2 of 3

verb

bet also betted; betting

transitive verb

1
a
: to stake on the outcome of an issue or the performance of a contestant
b
: to be able to be sure that
usually used in the expression you bet
you bet I'll be there
2
a
: to maintain with or as if with a bet
b
: to make a bet with
c
: to make a bet on

intransitive verb

: to lay a bet

bet

3 of 3

abbreviation

between

Example Sentences

Noun He has a bet on the game. He made a bet with his brother that he could finish his chores first. He and his brother have a bet about who can finish his chores first. He lost the bet and had to pay his brother five dollars. His brother won the bet. He paid his brother five dollars to settle the bet. Verb He bet $5 on the game. I'll bet that he makes the next shot. He always bets that the favorite will win. He lost a lot of money by betting on college football and basketball. I bet against the favorite and I lost. I wouldn't bet against her. She's very likely to win this race. Carmakers are betting that people will want to buy larger, more expensive cars this year. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Jacksonville Jaguars – Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State Evan Engram looks like a good bet to return to Jacksonville, with GM Trent Baalke saying in January there was mutual interest in a reunion between the pass catcher and franchise. Michael Middlehurst-schwartz, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2023 Xerox buys into computing This wasn’t Xerox’s only big bet on computing. IEEE Spectrum, 1 Mar. 2023 That decision is a bet on the power of the federal government to transform private industry. Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2023 Now this windy plain is a high-stakes table for a nine-figure bet on the future of California cannabis — that soon, within the next few years, adults across the country will be able to buy it as easily as hard seltzer or craft beer. Scott Wilson, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2023 Now this windy plain is a high-stakes table for a nine-figure bet on the future of California cannabis - that soon, within the next few years, adults across the country will be able to buy it as easily as hard seltzer or craft beer. Scott Wilson, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Feb. 2023 Fahmi Quadir’s short bet cleared tens of millions of dollars. Ben Taub, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2023 Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, is sticking with his bet that the US economy will skirt an economic downturn. Fortune, 26 Feb. 2023 Good bet a lot of them will be back as a bond, something that isn’t the same with off-campus games, begins to build. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2023
Verb
Other streaming services have already bet on live events. Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023 Meanwhile, Lee has bet big on a new Burberry for a diverse Britain. Harper's BAZAAR, 20 Feb. 2023 Stock prices slumped on the C.P.I. report, and more investors bet on the likelihood that the Fed would raise interest rates above 5 percent. Marie Solis, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2023 The best non-Alvarez MVP bet is actually his fellow corner outfielder, one who could sign an contract extension with Houston before Opening Day. Michael Shapiro, Chron, 16 Feb. 2023 Lampert bet $4,599, which brought his total to $9,199. oregonlive, 7 Feb. 2023 The good news is that there are plenty of ways to bet on this Eagles-Chiefs matchup. cleveland, 5 Feb. 2023 This gives you a way to bet on the site without having to risk your own money to do so, and gives you a chance to win withdrawable cash from the $150 in bonus bets. al, 21 Jan. 2023 Investors may also short-sell investments, or bet that a particular security will decline, to shore up their profits. Q.ai - Powering A Personal Wealth Movement, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bet was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near bet

Cite this Entry

“Bet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bet. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

bet

1 of 2 noun
1
: an agreement requiring the person whose guess about the result of a contest or the outcome of an event proves wrong to give something to a person whose guess proves right
2
: the money or thing risked
3
: a choice made by considering what might happen
our best bet is to take the back road

bet

2 of 2 verb
bet also betted; betting
1
: to risk in a bet
I'll bet a nickel
2
: to make a bet with
I bet you he won't
3
: to be certain enough to bet
I bet it will rain

More from Merriam-Webster on bet

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!


Which Came First?

  • baby chick with a brown egg
  • hot take or cold shoulder?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY