Meaning & use
stake on
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
to risk losing something valuable by depending on a particular result or person
Grammar: Takes an object between 'stake' and 'on': stake your reputation on something. The object can also follow 'on' in passive structures: everything was staked on one deal.
Patterns
- stake something on something
- stake something on someone
- stake something on doing something
She staked her entire savings on the new business idea.
The company staked its future on the success of the smartphone.
He staked his reputation on winning the case.
verbtransitive
to bet money on a horse, game, or other uncertain event
Grammar: Often used with 'money' or a sum of money as the object: stake $100 on a horse. The object comes before 'on'.
Patterns
- stake money on something
- stake something on a horse
He staked $500 on the underdog in the final race.
I wouldn't stake more than a few dollars on that game.
Common combinations
- stake your reputation on
- The politician staked her reputation on the health reform bill.
- stake your life on
- I wouldn't stake my life on that prediction.
- stake everything on
- They staked everything on one last roll of the dice.
- stake a claim on
- The explorers staked a claim on the newly discovered land.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bet on
- More general and often used for gambling or predictions; 'stake on' emphasizes the amount or the thing risked.
- wager on
- More formal and usually refers only to betting money, not to risking reputation.
- gamble on
- Focuses on the uncertainty of the outcome; 'stake on' focuses on what you put at risk.
Opposites
Word family
- stake noun
- The amount of money or the share that is risked or invested.
- stakeholder noun
- A person or group with an interest in a business or project.
Commonly confused: stake on or take on?
stake on vs take on
Means to accept a job or responsibility, not to risk something. 'She took on a new role' is different from 'She staked her career on the new role.'
Practice
Which sentence uses 'stake on' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct pattern is 'stake something on something' — the object goes between 'stake' and 'on'. Option 0 and 3 place the object incorrectly, and option 2 uses 'in' instead of 'on'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stake on”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.