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

This time around, Beterbiev is the slight betting favorite at -125 (bet $125 to win $100), while Bivol is the +100 underdog (win $100 on a $100 wager). —Josh Katzowitz, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

Losing your bet with the wrong person could cost you more than bragging rights While many Americans are expected to bet legally, scammers are also expected to cash in on Super Bowl wagers. —Chandelis Duster, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025

Verb

The bank noted that DraftKings’ handle, which represents the amount of money wagered in specific events, went up an average of 19% in January. —Sean Conlon, CNBC, 12 Feb. 2025

The big picture: Arizonans tend to wager far more money during the NFL and college football seasons than other periods of the year — a trend mirrored across most of the 38 states (and Washington, D.C.) that have legalized sports betting, an Axios review of state data found. —Jessica Boehm, Axios, 7 Feb. 2025

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

Rhymes for wager

• ager
• gauger
• pager
• stager
• yager
• teenager

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