odds

noun

ˈädz 

plural in form but singular or plural in construction

1

a(1)

: the probability that one thing is so or will happen rather than another : chances

the odds are against it

(2)

: the ratio of the probability of one event to that of an alternative event

b(1)

: a difference favoring one of two opposed things

overwhelming odds

(2)

: a difference in terms of advantage or disadvantage

what's the odds, if thinking so makes them happy

—Flora Thompson

c

: an amount by which one thing exceeds or falls short of another

won the election by considerable odds

2

: disagreement, variance

—usually used with at

faculty and administration often are at odds on everything

—W. E. Brock born 1930

3

a

: the ratio between the amount to be paid off for a winning bet and the amount of the bet

b

: an allowance granted by one making a bet to one accepting the bet and designed to equalize the chances favoring one of the bettors

c

: special favor : partiality

4

a

archaic : inequalities

b

obsolete : degree of unlikeness

Phrases

by all odds

: in every way : without question

by all odds the best book of the year

Synonyms

• chance
• percentage
• probability

Examples of odds in a Sentence

the odds of winning the lottery are currently 200 million to one

Recent Examples on the Web

For weeks leading up to Oscars Sunday, EEAAO had been the odds-on favorite to win big according to many leading awards-season prognosticators. —Vulture, 13 Mar. 2023

That would be an interesting turn of events for Sterling Suffolk, which was once the odds-on favorite to win the exclusive rights to build a full-fledged casino in the area. —Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Feb. 2023

Somehow, against all odds, this beautiful hidden gem in the hills of southern Spain still falls under the radar and hasn’t been taken over by tourists. —Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2023

Extraordinary rescue operations have succeeded against the odds in southern Turkey, but the death toll continues to climb. —Nick Parker, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Phrases Containing odds

• against all odds
• at odds
• beat the odds
• long odds
• make no odds
• odds and ends
• odds and sods
• odds are in (someone's) favor
• odds are stacked against (someone)
• odds-on
• over the odds
• pay over the odds
• restacked the deck/odds
• stack the odds against (someone)
• stack the odds in favor of (someone)
• stack the odds in someone's favor
• the odds are in favor of (something)
• what's the odds

Kids Definition

odds

plural noun

ˈädz 

1

: a difference by which one thing is favored over another

the odds are in favor of our side

2

a

: the probability that one thing is so or will happen instead of another

the odds are good it will rain today

b

: the ratio of the probability of one event to that of an event that can happen instead

the odds of success to failure in throwing a six with two dice are 1 to 5

3

: a state of disagreement

at odds with their neighbor