gamble

1 of 2

verb

gam·​ble ˈgam-bəl How to pronounce gamble (audio)
gambled; gambling ˈgam-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce gamble (audio)
Synonyms of gamblenext

intransitive verb

1
a
: to play a game for money or property
b
: to bet on an uncertain outcome
2
: to stake something on a contingency (see contingency sense 1) : take a chance

transitive verb

1
: to risk by gambling : wager
2
: venture, hazard
gambler
ˈgam-blər How to pronounce gamble (audio)
noun

gamble

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: an act having an element of risk
b
: something chancy
2
: the playing of a game of chance for stakes

Synonyms of gamble

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of gamble in a Sentence

Verb He's been drinking and gambling heavily. He would often gamble hundreds of dollars on a hand of poker. The mayor is gambling with the city's future. people who lost money gambling in the stock market The mayor is gambling that the new policies will help rather than hurt the city. Noun Starting her own business was a gamble, but it paid off. She thought about starting her own business, but she decided it was too much of a gamble.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
The increase in cyber threats as AI gets smarter has been something companies are not willing to gamble on, leading to a boost in demand for what CrowdStrike — and Palo Alto, for that matter — have to offer. — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 TikTok bans gambling outright but permits auctions, mystery products and trading-card breaks that hinge on outcomes buyers can’t see coming. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
As if dating weren’t already enough of a gamble, a new trend has some men skipping their usual hygiene routines before meeting a prospective partner. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 His team rewarded the school, and its gamble to move its season opener across the Atlantic Ocean, with an 0-1 start from a trash performance played before a nationwide TV audience. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gamble

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably back-formation from gambler, perhaps alteration (by dissimilation, or substitution of the frequentative suffix -le) of early Modern English gamner "player in a game," from gamen "to play" (going back to Middle English gamenen, going back to Old English gamenian, derivative of gamen game entry 1) + -er -er entry 2

Noun

noun derivative of gamble entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1757, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gamble was in 1757

Phrases Containing gamble

Rhymes for gamble

See All Rhymes for gamble

Browse Nearby Words

gambit
gamble
gamble away
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamble. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gamble

1 of 2 verb
gam·​ble ˈgam-bəl How to pronounce gamble (audio)
gambled; gambling -b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce gamble (audio)
1
a
: to play a game for money or property
b
: to bet on an uncertain outcome
2
: to bet something on the chance of gain : take a chance
we gambled on not being seen
3
: risk entry 2 sense 1, hazard
gambler
-blər How to pronounce gamble (audio)
noun

gamble

2 of 2 noun
1
: a risky undertaking
2
: a betting on a game of chance

Legal Definition

gamble

verb
gam·​ble ˈgam-bəl How to pronounce gamble (audio)
gambled; gambling

intransitive verb

: to risk something of value for the chance of winning a prize

transitive verb

: to risk (something) for the chance of winning a prize
gambler
-blər How to pronounce gamble (audio)
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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