- 1
[countable, uncountable] the possibility of something bad happening at some time in the future; a situation that could be dangerous or have a bad result risk (of something/of doing something) Smoking can increase the risk of developing heart disease. Patients should be made aware of the risks involved with this treatment. risk (that…) There is still a risk that the whole deal will fall through. risk (to somebody/something) The chemicals pose little risk (= are not dangerous) to human health. a calculated risk (= one that you have thought about and consider to be worth taking because of the possible benefits) Any business venture contains an element of risk. We could probably trust her with the information, but it's just not worth the risk.
- 2
[countable] risk (to something) a person or thing that is likely to cause problems or danger at some time in the future The group was considered to be a risk to national security. a major health/fire risk
- 3 [countable] a good/bad/poor risk a person or business that a bank or an insurance company is willing/unwilling to lend money or sell insurance to because they are likely/unlikely to pay back the money, etc. With five previous claims, he's now a bad insurance risk. Idioms
in danger of something unpleasant or harmful happening As with all diseases, certain groups will be more at risk than others. If we go to war, innocent lives will be put at risk.
used to introduce something that may sound stupid or may offend someone At the risk of showing my ignorance, how exactly does the Internet work?
with the possibility of harming yourself/someone/something He dived in to save the dog, at considerable risk to his own life.
to do something even though you have been warned about the possible dangers and will have to take responsibility for anything bad that happens Persons swimming beyond this point do so at their own risk. (= on a notice) Valuables are left at their owner's risk . (= on a notice)
to be in a situation in which something bad could happen to you People who are overweight run a risk of a heart attack or stroke.
to be or put yourself in a situation in which something bad could happen to you We don't want to run the risk of losing their business.
to do something even though you know that something bad could happen as a result That's a risk I'm not prepared to take. You have no right to take risks with other people's lives.
Check pronunciation: risk