stakes 1 of 2

noun

plural of stake
1
as in interests
a legal right to participation in the advantages, profits, and responsibility of something if I invest in your business, I expect a stake in it in return

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Relevance
2
as in bets
the money or thing risked on the outcome of an uncertain event lost his entire stake with a single roll of the dice

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stakes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stake
1
as in funds
to provide money for the actor staked the entire production of the film with his own money

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puts
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event I'd stake a year's salary that she'll win the general election

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stakes
Noun
Several other brands have activated during high-stakes competitions and inked their own collaborations that tap into the convergence of beauty and sports this year. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026 This dwindling buffer forces the nation into a high-stakes standoff against the uncompromising laws of fluid dynamics, immense geological forces, strict federal statutes, and relentless geopolitical pressure. — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 Though the Tennessee tourist destination initially opened in the 1960s, it was relaunched as Dollywood in 1986, after Parton bought some stakes in the park’s parent company. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 The 49ers Enterprises group wholly owns United, but within that consortium, there are many investors with varying stakes. — Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Selling minority stakes in sports teams is nothing new, but the practice has become more common. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 The legal fight will continue, but the president’s executive order could inject fresh uncertainty into the already high-stakes midterm elections. — Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2026 One heir might prefer to remain actively involved in managing it, while the others may want to sell their stakes. — Naomi Cahn, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026 California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the current case has even higher stakes. — John Ruwitch, NPR, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
The sentences mark a key moment in China’s continuing real-estate crisis, which has dented consumer confidence in the country – and caused a headache for a government that stakes its legitimacy on rising prosperity. — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026 Kent Nishimura | Reuters The Senate stakes McConnell, a former longtime Senate majority leader, declined to seek an eighth term following a series of health scares. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 July 2026 Dar Zéro founder Brigid Smith stakes her claim on bohemian style, blending gritty luxury with elevated, global influences. — Rebecca Suhrawardi, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 The Arab Republic of Egypt (1953) stakes a natural claim to the Rosetta Stone, which was commissioned in 196 BCE by a Greek-speaking pharaoh of Macedonian descent, and unearthed near Alexandria by French engineers in 1799. — Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 Ocean Casino Resort stakes its claim directly on the Atlantic City Boardwalk with views of a ferris wheel and lighthouse as though to remind you of the city’s modest beachtown origins. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026 November stakes In Lake County, the positions of Clerk, Treasurer, and Sheriff — currently held by Anthony Vega, Holly Kim and John Idleburg, respectively — are all coming up for election, as well as county board positions for Districts 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19. — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026 Small towns may have the majority of oceanfront real estate, but Pensacola stakes its claim with more than 50 miles of white-sand shoreline. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026 That is, until Vlad arrives and stakes a claim on her every waking thought. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stakes
  1. interests
  2. bets
  3. funds
  4. puts
  5. shares
  6. wagers
  7. finances
Noun
  • After years of work to finally make this street safer, Sacramento is threatening that progress because powerful interests objected.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Axl has appeared in mom’s projects Like Duhamel, Fergie allows her son to pursue his passions and interests without pushing him toward a specific career path.
    — Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of interests
Noun
  • According to TickerTracker, about 78% of Kalshi’s volume this month, roughly $26 billion, has come from sports and parlays, an all-or nothing bundle of bets that are popular with sports.
    — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Few have placed bigger bets than Blackstone on the AI revolution, which demands massive funding for large language models and the data centers and energy infrastructure that power them.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of bets
Verb
  • Movies in this class are, paradigmatically, produced, written, and directed by the same person, who generally also plays the devastatingly handsome romantic lead (and often funds the proceedings with money earned in some unrelated capacity).
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The trio accused the US Department of Defense of charging them with insubordination for publicly supporting that editorial independence in covering the agency, which partly funds the publication.
    — Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of funds
Verb
  • My analysis, built on the County’s framework and precedent, puts the exposure at a considerably higher level.
    — Joseph M. Singer, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This is a callous continuation of the ongoing campaign by the same individuals and groups targeting Jewish people and the state of Israel, a pattern of antisemitism and misinformation that puts our community in grave danger.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of puts
Noun
  • Madison Square Garden Entertainment shares are up 45% this year.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
  • While new medicines are likely more than a year away from hitting US shelves, analysts expect Cosmo shares to nearly double over the next 12 months.
    — Avalon Pernell, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of shares
Noun
  • Prediction markets also offer bets on election results, and some states are explicitly trying to get those types of wagers banned, too.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Kalshi said Santos made more than $17,000 in profit on the wagers.
    — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of wagers
Verb
  • The project is funded by Measure LB, an $850-million bond measure that finances LBCC construction.
    — Kate Raphael, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Globo fully finances the films, without tapping Brazilian incentives for film production.
    — Marcelo Cajueiro, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of finances

Phrases Containing stakes

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Cite this Entry

“Stakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stakes. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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