Meaning & use
risk-takers
Last updated
“risk-takers” is a form of “risk-taker”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
People who are willing to do things that might fail or cause loss.
Grammar: Plural countable noun; use it for two or more people, and the singular 'risk-taker' for one person.
Patterns
- risk-takers in something
- a group of risk-takers
- risk-takers who do something
The company was founded by a pair of risk-takers who left safe jobs to start it.
Investors called them risk-takers after they put all their savings into one project.
In a small team, risk-takers often push the others to try new ideas.
nounplural
People who enjoy activities that involve physical danger or uncertainty.
Grammar: Plural countable noun; often used with words like 'young' or 'extreme' before it.
Patterns
- young risk-takers
- risk-takers in sport
- extreme risk-takers
Extreme risk-takers climb mountains without guides or safety ropes.
The club attracts young risk-takers who want to try skydiving.
Doctors warn that risk-takers in these sports should train for months first.
Word forms
| singular | risk-taker |
|---|
Common combinations
- a natural risk-taker
- He's a natural risk-taker and never seems nervous before a big decision.
- risk-takers in business
- Risk-takers in business sometimes lose everything, but they also create new markets.
- a bunch of risk-takers
- The whole department is a bunch of risk-takers who love testing wild ideas.
- known as risk-takers
- The traders there are known as risk-takers who bet on tiny price movements.
- encourage risk-takers
- Good managers encourage risk-takers instead of punishing every mistake.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gamblers
- Use 'gamblers' when the risk involves betting money or games of chance; 'risk-takers' is wider and can describe brave or daring behavior in any area.
- daredevils
- 'Daredevils' suggests exciting physical danger and often a show-off attitude, while 'risk-takers' can be calm and careful people who simply accept uncertainty.
- adventurers
- 'Adventurers' emphasizes travel and new experiences; 'risk-takers' focuses on the willingness to accept possible loss or failure.
Opposites
Word family
- risk-taker noun
- One person who accepts possible failure or loss.
- risk-taking noun
- The act or habit of doing things that might fail.
- risk noun
- The possibility that something bad or unwanted will happen.
- risky adjective
- Likely to fail or cause harm; full of danger.
- risk verb
- To put something valuable in a situation where it could be lost.
Commonly confused: risk-takers or risk-taker? risk-takers or stakeholder?
risk-takers vs risk-taker
'Risk-takers' is plural and needs a plural verb, as in 'Risk-takers are often rewarded.' Use 'risk-taker' for one person: 'A risk-taker is often rewarded.'
risk-takers vs stakeholder
A 'stakeholder' is someone with an interest in a project or company, which has nothing to do with enjoying risk; the two words sound somewhat similar but mean very different things.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'risk-takers' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Risk-takers' is a plural noun, so it takes a plural verb like 'are' and describes more than one person. Option 0 uses a singular verb with a plural noun, option 2 mixes 'a' and the plural form, and option 3 wrongly uses the noun as a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “risk-takers”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.