risky

adjective

ˈri-skē 

riskier; riskiest

: attended with risk or danger : hazardous

riskiness noun

Synonyms

• dangerous
• grave
• grievous
• hazardous
• jeopardizing
• menacing
• parlous
• perilous
• serious
• threatening
• unhealthy
• unsafe
• venturesome

Choose the Right Synonym for risky

dangerous, hazardous, precarious, perilous, risky mean bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury.

dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

Examples of risky in a Sentence

Her plan is too risky.

Recent Examples on the Web

And have no fear, Alexa’s cat Chowder gets caught up in a risky cat-and-mouse chase of its own. —Gabriela Silva, TVLine, 7 Feb. 2025

Employment reduces economic pressures that lead to risky behaviors, offering stability and alternatives to crime. —Keith Howard, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2025

Higher speeds, impairment caused by alcohol and cannabis use, and other risky driver behaviors were involved in the majority of 2023’s fatal county crashes, according to Wawrzyniak. —Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025

However, his absence is not the only one at Sepang; injuries seem to be a risky trend lately in the testing period. —Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing risky

• risky business
• risky move

Kids Definition

risky

adjective

ˈris-kē 

riskier; riskiest

: having or bringing risk : dangerous