Meaning & use
stake
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Meanings
nouncountable
A strong pointed post, usually of wood or metal, pushed into the ground to hold something up or mark a spot.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'a' or in the plural: drive a stake into the ground.
Patterns
- drive a stake into something
- a wooden stake
They drove a wooden stake into the ground to support the young tree.
The surveyor marked the boundary with metal stakes.
nouncountable
A share or interest in a business, project, or situation, especially one that involves risk.
Grammar: Countable; often used in phrases like 'a stake in' or 'have a stake in'.
Patterns
- have a stake in something
- a financial stake
She has a 20% stake in the company.
The investors each have a stake in the project's success.
nouncountable
Something that is at risk of being lost or won, especially in a game or contest.
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'at stake' to mean at risk.
Patterns
- at stake
- the stakes are high
The championship is at stake in tomorrow's game.
With so much at stake, they could not afford any mistakes.
verbtransitive
To risk losing something valuable in order to gain an advantage.
Grammar: Takes an object: stake money on a horse.
Patterns
- stake something on something
- stake a claim
He staked all his savings on the new business.
She staked her reputation on the success of the trial.
Word forms
| plural | stakes |
|---|---|
| third person singular | stakes |
| past tense | staked |
| past participle | staked |
| -ing form | staking |
Common combinations
- at stake
- Thousands of jobs are at stake if the factory closes.
- stake a claim
- The miners staked a claim on the land.
- have a stake in
- Employees have a stake in the company's profits.
- drive a stake into
- He drove a stake into the ground to anchor the tent.
Synonyms and how they differ
- post
- Post is a general word for an upright support; stake is specifically pointed and driven into the ground.
- share
- Share refers to a portion of ownership; stake often emphasizes the interest or risk involved.
- bet
- Bet means to risk money on an outcome; stake can also mean to risk something valuable, not just money.
Word family
- stakeholder noun
- A person or group with an interest in a business or project.
- staking noun
- The act of supporting with stakes or marking with stakes.
Commonly confused: stake or steak?
stake vs steak
Steak is a slice of meat; stake is a post or a share/risk. They sound the same but have different meanings.
Practice
Complete the sentence: 'The future of the company is ___ stake.'
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'at stake', meaning at risk. 'In stake' and 'on stake' are not used in this expression.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stake”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.