wager

1 of 2

noun

wa·​ger ˈwā-jər 

1

a

: something (such as a sum of money) risked on an uncertain event : stake

b

: something on which bets are laid : gamble

do a stunt as a wager

2

archaic : an act of giving a pledge to take and abide by the result of some action

wager

2 of 2

verb

wagered; wagering

ˈwāj-riŋ,

ˈwā-jə- 

intransitive verb

: to make a bet

transitive verb

: to risk or venture on a final outcome

specifically : to lay as a gamble : bet

wager $5 on a horse

wagerer

ˈwā-jər-ər 

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• bet
• stake

Verb

• bet
• gamble
• go
• lay
• play
• put
• stake

Examples of wager in a Sentence

Noun

He has a wager on the game.

I don't think the horse will win. What's your wager?

Verb

She wagered $50 on the game.

I wouldn't wager against them.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And betting markets that allow average investors to place wagers on the election outcome have in recent weeks favored Trump. —Kate Gibson, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024

There are reasons to take the prediction markets with a grain of salt, including the disproportionately large wagers that tilt the odds one way or another, Axios' Brady Dale and Nathan Bomey report. —Dave Lawler, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024

Verb

Hundreds of millions of dollars had already been wagered on the 2024 election, but all of those bets were made in a legal gray area, Axios' Brady Dale reports. —Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024

Donald Trump's media company is enjoying a stock market resurgence, with shares of Trump Media & Technology Group soaring on Tuesday as betting markets now wager the former president is favored to win in the November 5 election. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English wageour pledge, bet, from Anglo-French wageure, from *wager

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1602, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing wager

• place/make a wager

Kids Definition

wager

1 of 2 noun

wa·​ger ˈwā-jər 

1

: something (as a sum of money) risked on an uncertain event : bet

2

: something (as the outcome of a game or race) on which a bet is made

: gamble

wager

2 of 2 verb

wagered; wagering ˈwāj-(ə-)riŋ 

: to bet on the outcome of a contest or question

wagerer

ˈwā-jər-ər 

noun