wager

1 of 2

noun

wa·​ger ˈwā-jər How to pronounce wager (audio)
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- How to pronounce wager (audio)

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 noun

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
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
The wager at the root of the story is designed to reflect the venal hollowness of the upper class. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024 On both of the sites, Pennsylvania was the state with the highest betting volume, with over $33 million in wagers on Polymarket and more than $14 million on Kalshi. Bruna Horvath, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2024
Verb
Speculation has swirled around the identities of major bettors who wagered on Trump and whether or not the odds and the existence of the markets could have had an effect on voters. Sophia Pargas, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024 If Missouri goes live on that date, bettors will have ample to time to wager on a Week 14 tilt between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers. Matt Rybaltowski, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wager 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of wager was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near wager

Cite this Entry

“Wager.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wager. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

wager

1 of 2 noun
wa·​ger ˈwā-jər How to pronounce wager (audio)
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 How to pronounce wager (audio)
: to bet on the outcome of a contest or question
wagerer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wager

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!