hazard

1 of 2

noun

haz·ard ˈha-zərd

plural hazards

Synonyms of hazard next

: a source of danger

hazards on the roadway

: the effect of unpredictable and unanalyzable forces in determining events : chance, risk

the hazards involved in owning your own business

Men and women danced together, women danced together, men danced together, as hazard had brought them together.—

Charles Dickens

: a chance event : accident

… looked like a fugitive, who had escaped from something in clothes caught up at hazard.—

Willa Cather

hazards plural : special lights on a vehicle that flash on and off and are used to warn other drivers (as when the vehicle is not working properly) : hazard lights

If you do break down or crash, immediately turn on your hazards.—

Shape

Drivers should also turn off their hazards when signaling to exit the highway.—

John Cichowski

: a golf-course obstacle (such as a bunker or a pond)

: a game of chance like craps played with two dice

obsolete : stake sense 3a

hazard

2 of 2

verb

hazarded; hazarding; hazards

transitive verb

: to offer or present at a risk : venture

hazard a guess as to the outcome

Phrases

at hazard

: at stake

Did you know?

At first hazard was a game of chance played with dice. The English word comes from medieval French, in which the game was called hasard. This French word was probably borrowed from Arabic az-zahr, meaning “the dice” or “one of the dice.” The game was borrowed from the French by the English, and within a few centuries what had been a chance taken on the outcome of a throw of the dice could be any venture or risk. Now “chance” or “venture” and “risk” or “peril” are the usual meanings of hazard. The verb hazard emerged in the 16th century.

Examples of hazard in a Sentence

Noun the tumbledown old barn was considered a fire hazard it was only by hazard and good fortune that we found our way back to the trail Verb His friend asked him to hazard a small sum in a business venture. just so the tourists could see the sea lions up close, the captain needlessly hazarded his ship

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

Fire hazards can significantly vary depending on numerous factors such as the kind of event, crowd size, technological applications, even simple factors like an open flame or fireworks display. —

Kyle Russell, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024 Conventional heated blankets can cause electrical faults or overheating, among other safety hazards. —

Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024

Verb

In the end, the United States must be so strong and determined that Russia and other adversaries don’t want to hazard actions that compel it to carry out its threats. —

Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024 Mary, care to hazard a guess as to who’s behind that mask? —

Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for hazard

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French hasard, from Old Spanish azar, from Arabic al-zahr the die

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Verb

circa 1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of hazard was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Articles Related to hazard

burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida

Guess the Curious Origins of These...

Oh, that’s where that comes from…

Favorite Words From Foreign Languages

Karaoke, chutzpah, kerfuffle & more

words with remarkable origins vol 1 eavesdrop

Eavesdrop, Fiasco, and 8 More Words...

Including some trivia on ‘trivia’

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hazard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazard. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

hazard

1 of 2 noun

haz·ard ˈhaz-ərd

: a game of chance played with two dice

: chance entry 1 sense 1, accident

: a source of danger

: an obstacle on a golf course

hazard

2 of 2 verb

: venture entry 1 sense 1, risk

hazard a guess

Etymology

Noun

Middle English hazard "game of chance," from early French hasard (same meaning), from Arabic az-zahr "the die (one of the dice)"

Word Origin

Hazard was at first a game of chance played with dice. The English word comes from an early form of French, in which the game was called hasard. This French word was probably borrowed during the time of the Crusades from Arabic az-zahr, meaning "the die (one of the dice)." The game was borrowed from the French by the English, and within a few centuries, what had been a chance taken on the outcome of a throw of the dice could be any venture or risk. Now "chance" or "venture" and "risk" or "peril" are the usual meanings of hazard.

Legal Definition

hazard

noun

haz·ard ˈha-zərd

: a condition that tends to create or increase the possibility of loss

—used especially in insurance law

Last Updated: 27 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

obfuscate

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

hazard

noun

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Examples of hazard in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near hazard

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition