gamble

UK: /ˈgæmb^əl/ US: /ˈgæmbəl/ ,(gam′bəl)

Inflections of 'gamble' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

gambles

v 3rd person singular

gambling

v pres p

gambled

v past

gambled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

gam•ble /ˈgæmbəl/   v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v. 

1. Games to play at a game of chance for money or other stakes:
   [no object] to gamble at cards.
2. to bet, wager, stake, or risk (something of value, as money) on the outcome of something involving chance or uncertainty;
   bet: [~ + object + on]
   I'll gamble my life on his honesty.
   [~ + on + object]
   He gambled on that project's succeeding.
3. to take a chance;
   risk:
   [~ + (that) clause] We're gambling that our new store will be a success.
4. to lose by betting: [~ + object + away]
   gambled all his money away.
   [~ + away + object]
   gambled away all his money.

n. [countable]

5. any matter or thing involving risk or hazardous uncertainty:
   We took a gamble in hiring him.

gam•bler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gam•ble  (gam′bəl), v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v.i. 

1. Games to play at any game of chance for money or other stakes.
2. to stake or risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance:
   to gamble on a toss of the dice.

v.t. 

3. to lose or squander by betting (usually fol. by away):
   He gambled all his hard-earned money away in one night.
4. to wager or risk (money or something else of value):
   to gamble one's freedom.
5. to take a chance on;
   venture;
   risk:
   I'm gambling that our new store will be a success.

n. 

6. any matter or thing involving risk or hazardous uncertainty.
7. a venture in a game of chance for stakes, esp. for high stakes.

• 1150–1200; Middle English gamenen to play (Old English gamenian), with substitution of -le for -en; see game¹

gam′bler, n. 
Synonyms

• 6. venture, hazard, speculation, flyer.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gamble / ˈɡæmb^əl/ verb

1. (intransitive) to play games of chance to win money
2. to risk or bet (money) on the outcome of an event, sport, etc
3. (intransitive) often followed by on: to act with the expectation of: to gamble on its being a sunny day
4. (often followed by away) to lose by or as if by betting; squander

noun

1. a risky act or venture
2. a bet, wager, or other risk or chance taken for possible monetary gain

Etymology: 18th Century: probably variant of game¹

ˈgambler noun

ˈgambling noun