# risking

/ˈɹɪskɪŋ/ (US) · /ɹˈɪskɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/risking
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. taking a chance

verb · CEFR B1

doing something that might have a bad result because you hope for a good one.

For teachers: engaging in an action with a known potential for negative consequences or failure. Often used as a gerund or in continuous tenses.

- By quitting his job without a new one, he is risking his financial future.
- Risking everything on a single investment is rarely a sound strategy for long-term wealth preservation.

Usage: Often followed by a noun phrase or a gerund ending in -ing.

### 2. putting something in danger

verb · CEFR B1

putting something valuable, like your health or money, in a position where it could be lost or hurt.

For teachers: exposing a specific person, object, or abstract quality to danger or loss. Transitive use requiring a direct object.

- The firefighters were risking their lives to save the family from the burning building.
- The captain refused to sail during the storm, fearing that he would be risking the lives of his crew unnecessarily.

Usage: Takes a direct object representing the person or thing in danger.

### 3. the act of taking a risk

noun · CEFR B2

the act of putting something at risk.

For teachers: the action or instance of exposing something to hazard or possibility of loss. Used as a verbal noun.

- The risking of so much capital on a new product was a bold move by the company.
- The deliberate risking of state secrets for personal gain is considered a grave offence in most jurisdictions.

## Examples

- He is risking his job by speaking out.
- By investing all her savings in one company, she is risking financial ruin if the market crashes.
- The general was risking a decisive defeat by dividing his forces, hoping that speed would compensate for their numerical disadvantage.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.