hazard

1 of 2

noun

haz·​ard ˈha-zərd How to pronounce hazard (audio)
plural hazards
1
: a source of danger
hazards on the roadway
2
a
: the effect of unpredictable and unanalyzable forces in determining events : chance, risk
the hazards involved in owning your own business
Men and women danced together, women danced together, men danced together, as hazard had brought them together.Charles Dickens
b
: a chance event : accident
… looked like a fugitive, who had escaped from something in clothes caught up at hazard.Willa Cather
3
hazards plural : special lights on a vehicle that flash on and off and are used to warn other drivers (as when the vehicle is not working properly) : hazard lights
If you do break down or crash, immediately turn on your hazards.Shape
Drivers should also turn off their hazards when signaling to exit the highway.John Cichowski
4
: a golf-course obstacle (such as a bunker or a pond)
5
: a game of chance like craps played with two dice
6
obsolete : stake sense 3a

hazard

2 of 2

verb

hazarded; hazarding; hazards

transitive verb

: to offer or present at a risk : venture
hazard a guess as to the outcome
Phrases
at hazard
: at stake

Did you know?

At first hazard was a game of chance played with dice. The English word comes from medieval French, in which the game was called hasard. This French word was probably borrowed from Arabic az-zahr, meaning “the dice” or “one of the dice.” The game was borrowed from the French by the English, and within a few centuries what had been a chance taken on the outcome of a throw of the dice could be any venture or risk. Now “chance” or “venture” and “risk” or “peril” are the usual meanings of hazard. The verb hazard emerged in the 16th century.

Examples of hazard in a Sentence

Noun the tumbledown old barn was considered a fire hazard it was only by hazard and good fortune that we found our way back to the trail Verb His friend asked him to hazard a small sum in a business venture. just so the tourists could see the sea lions up close, the captain needlessly hazarded his ship
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
Unpredictable rains flood the roads and create health hazards. New York Times, 4 Nov. 2024 Removable tokens and figurines could become choking hazards to young children, so be aware of age limitations on those as well. Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
In the end, the United States must be so strong and determined that Russia and other adversaries don’t want to hazard actions that compel it to carry out its threats. Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024 Mary, care to hazard a guess as to who’s behind that mask? Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for hazard 

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French hasard, from Old Spanish azar, from Arabic al-zahr the die

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Verb

circa 1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hazard was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hazard

Cite this Entry

“Hazard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazard. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hazard

1 of 2 noun
haz·​ard ˈhaz-ərd How to pronounce hazard (audio)
1
: a game of chance played with two dice
2
3
: a source of danger
4
: an obstacle on a golf course

hazard

2 of 2 verb
: venture entry 1 sense 1, risk
hazard a guess
Etymology

Noun

Middle English hazard "game of chance," from early French hasard (same meaning), from Arabic az-zahr "the die (one of the dice)"

Word Origin
Hazard was at first a game of chance played with dice. The English word comes from an early form of French, in which the game was called hasard. This French word was probably borrowed during the time of the Crusades from Arabic az-zahr, meaning "the die (one of the dice)." The game was borrowed from the French by the English, and within a few centuries, what had been a chance taken on the outcome of a throw of the dice could be any venture or risk. Now "chance" or "venture" and "risk" or "peril" are the usual meanings of hazard.

Legal Definition

hazard

noun
haz·​ard ˈha-zərd How to pronounce hazard (audio)
: a condition that tends to create or increase the possibility of loss
used especially in insurance law

More from Merriam-Webster on hazard

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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