gambling

1 of 2

noun

gam·​bling ˈgam-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce gambling (audio)
Synonyms of gamblingnext
: the practice or activity of betting : the practice of risking money or other stakes in a game or bet
illegal gambling
compulsive gambling
Then, within the past 18 months, after the explosion in Internet gambling … and the cable TV debut of the World Poker Tour, the game took off again.—Walter Kirn
—often used before another noun
a gambling game
gambling regulations
a gambling empire

gambling

2 of 2

present participle of gamble entry 1

Examples of gambling in a Sentence

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.
Noun
Exchange betting firms argue their products fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a federal agency, and are therefore not subject to state gambling laws. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Currently at issue are three forms of gambling — two legal, one questionable. — Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 This fall, make sure one of those conversations is about sports prediction markets and the risks of conflating gambling with investing. — Emily Stack, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 Both of those two clubs had been to the gambling well time and again but have pivoted to new multi-year deals. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gambling

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gambling was in 1700

Phrases Containing gambling

Rhymes for gambling

See All Rhymes for gambling

Browse Nearby Words

gambler
gambling
gambling device
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gambling

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