risky
- 01 B1 Intermediate
involving a chance that something bad or dangerous will happen.
involving a high degree of risk or potential for failure, loss, or injury.
Simple“Investing all your money in one small company is very risky.”
In context“The surgeons decided that the procedure was too risky given the patient's advanced age and weakened heart condition.”
Usageoften used with the verb 'to be' or 'to seem'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
describes something that is slightly shocking because it relates to sex.
bordering on impropriety or indecency, particularly in a sexual context; often a variant spelling of 'risqué'.
Simple“He told a risky joke that made some people in the office feel uncomfortable.”
In context“The comedian's routine was considered quite risky for a daytime television audience, leading to several viewer complaints.”
UsageIn formal writing, the French spelling 'risqué' is preferred for this specific meaning.
Teacher's tipLearners should be aware that 'risky' usually means dangerous, while this sense is specifically about social or sexual boundaries.
Synonyms
From risk + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.