gamble

gam·ble
G2A1M3B3L1E1
UK, US/ˈɡæm.bəl/

noun

A bet or wager.

“I had a gamble on the horses last weekend.”

Similar
gamechanceriskhazardtake chancesadventurerun a risktake a chance
OriginMiddle English *gamlen ← Old English gæmnian →
CommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

gamble1

noungamble (plural gambles)

plural gambles · alternative obsolete gambal

  1. A bet or wager.

    I had a gamble on the horses last weekend.

  2. A significant risk, undertaken with a potential gain.
  3. A risky venture.

    The sailors had taken many gambles with the sea and always won.

verbgamble (third-person singular simple present gambles, present participle gambling, simple past and past participle gambled)

present singular third person gambles · participle present gambling · participle past gambled · past gambled · alternative obsolete gambal

  1. To take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome.
  2. To play risky games, especially casino games, for monetary gain.

    Mark won half a million dollars gambling on horses.

    Synonyms: game

  3. transitiveTo risk (something) for potential gain.

    He gambled his reputation on the outcome.

  4. To interact with equipment at a casino.

Gamble2

proper nounGamble (plural Gambles)

plural Gambles · alternative Gammell · alternative Gemmell

  1. A surname from Old Norse.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo play risky games, especially casino games, for monetary gain.

Similar
game

More synonyms by meaning

verbtake a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome

Similar
chanceriskhazardtake chancesadventurerun a risktake a chance
Broader
tryseekattempt
Also see
adventurechancehazardjeopardyriskrun a risktake a chance

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

gamble · noun, verb

  1. Old Englishgæmnian
  2. Middle Englishgamenen
  3. Middle English*gamlen
  4. Englishgamble

From earlier gamel, from Middle English *gamlen, *gamelen, variant of Middle English gamenen, from Old English gæmnian, gamnian, gamenian (“to joke; play”), related to Old English gamen (“joy; mirth; pleasure; entertainment; pastime; sport; game”), equivalent to game + -le. Compare Old Danish gammel, Middle High German gamel (“pleasure; fun”). More at game.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Gamble · proper noun

From the Old Norse byname gamall (“old”), which was occasionally used in North England during the Middle Ages as a personal name.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic قِمَار, قَامَرَ
  • قِمَار (qimār)a risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • قَامَرَ (qāmara)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • قَامَرَ (qāmara)to play risky games for monetary gain
Basque jokatu
  • jokatuto play risky games for monetary gain
Bulgarian риск, авантюра
  • риск (risk)a risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • авантюра (avantjura)a risky venture
  • рискувам (riskuvam)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • играя комар (igraja komar)to play risky games for monetary gain
Chinese Cantonese 賭錢 /赌钱
  • 賭錢 /赌钱to play risky games for monetary gain
Chinese Mandarin 賭博 /赌博, 賭錢 /赌钱
  • 賭博 /赌博 (dǔbó)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • 賭錢 /赌钱 (dǔqián)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • 賭博 /赌博 (dǔbó)to play risky games for monetary gain
  • 賭錢 /赌钱 (dǔqián)to play risky games for monetary gain
Czech riskovat
  • riskovatto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
Dutch gok, gok
  • goka risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • goka risky venture
  • waagstuka risky venture
  • gokkento take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • gokkento play risky games for monetary gain
  • kansspelen bedrijvento play risky games for monetary gain
  • op het spel zetten''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
  • vergokken''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
  • wagen''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
Esperanto hazardo, hazardo
  • hazardoa risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • hazardoa risky venture
  • hazardito take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • vetito play risky games for monetary gain
  • vetludito play risky games for monetary gain
  • monludito play risky games for monetary gain
  • hazardi''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
Estonian õnnemäng
  • õnnemänga risk undertaken with a potential gain
Finnish uhkapeli, uhkapeli
  • uhkapelia risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • uhkapelia risky venture
  • pelata uhkapeliäto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • pelata uhkapeliäto play risky games for monetary gain
  • uhkapelatato play risky games for monetary gain
  • vaarantaa''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
  • panna peliin''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
French pari, jeu de hasard
  • paria risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • jeu de hasarda risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • parierto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • hasarderto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
German Glücksspiel, Hazardspiel
  • Glücksspiela risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • Hazardspiela risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • Glücksspiela risky venture
  • spielento take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • spekulierento take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • zockento take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • hasardierento take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • wettento play risky games for monetary gain
  • spielento play risky games for monetary gain
  • zockento play risky games for monetary gain
  • aufs Spiel n setzen''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
  • hasardieren''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
  • wagen''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
Greek στοίχημα, στοιχηματίζω
  • στοίχημα (stoíchima)a risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • στοιχηματίζω (stoichimatízo)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
Hebrew הימר, הימר
  • הימר (himér)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • הימר (himér)to play risky games for monetary gain
Hindi जुआ खेलना
  • जुआ खेलना (juā khelnā)to play risky games for monetary gain
Hungarian szerencsejáték, hazárdjáték
  • szerencsejátéka risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • hazárdjátéka risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • szerencsejátéka risky venture
  • hazárdjátéka risky venture
  • lutria risky venture
  • szerencsejátékot játszikto play risky games for monetary gain
  • hazardírozto play risky games for monetary gain
  • kockáztat''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
  • kockára tesz''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
Indonesian bertaruh, mempertaruhkan
  • bertaruhto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • mempertaruhkanto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • berjudito play risky games for monetary gain
Italian scommessa, scommettere
  • scommessaa risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • scommettereto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • scommettereto play risky games for monetary gain
  • rischiare''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
Japanese 賭け, ギャンブル
  • 賭け (kake)a risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • ギャンブル (gyanburu)a risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • 賭け (kake)a risky venture
  • ギャンブル (gyanburu)a risky venture
  • 賭ける (kakeru)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • 賭ける (kakeru)to play risky games for monetary gain
  • 懸ける (kakeru)''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
Malay taruhan, judi
  • taruhana risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • judito play risky games for monetary gain
Māori purei moni, petipeti
  • purei monito play risky games for monetary gain
  • petipetito play risky games for monetary gain
Persian قمار
  • قمار (qomâr)a risk undertaken with a potential gain
Polish hazard, ryzykować
  • hazarda risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • ryzykowaćto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • graćto play risky games for monetary gain
Portuguese aposta, aposta
  • apostaa risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • apostaa risky venture
  • arriscarto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • apostarto play risky games for monetary gain
  • arriscar''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
Romanian juca, juca jocuri de noroc
  • jucato play risky games for monetary gain
  • juca jocuri de norocto play risky games for monetary gain
Russian аза́ртная игра́, авантю́ра
  • аза́ртная игра́ (azártnaja igrá)a risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • авантю́ра (avantjúra)a risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • авантю́ра (avantjúra)a risky venture
  • рискова́ть (riskovátʹ)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • игра́ть в аза́ртные и́гры (igrátʹ v azártnyje ígry)to play risky games for monetary gain
Spanish jugada riesgosa, timbear
  • jugada riesgosaa risky venture
  • timbearto play risky games for monetary gain
  • escolasearto play risky games for monetary gain
  • escolasarto play risky games for monetary gain
Swedish vågspel, spela hasard
  • vågspela risky venture
  • spela hasardto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • spela hasardto play risky games for monetary gain
Thai พนัน, พนัน
  • พนัน (pá-nan)to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • พนัน (pá-nan)to play risky games for monetary gain
  • พนัน (pá-nan)''(transitive)'' to risk something for potential gain
Turkish kumar, kumar oynamak
  • kumara risk undertaken with a potential gain
  • kumar oynamakto take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome
  • kumar oynamakto play risky games for monetary gain
Vietnamese đánh bạc
  • đánh bạcto play risky games for monetary gain

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with gamble

Campbellscrambleramblebrambleambleunscramblehamblegambolshamblecramblefamblerescramble
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

gambolgambol

Anagrams

GambelLambeg
Cite this entry
APA

gamble. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gamble

MLA

“gamble.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gamble. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gamble,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gamble.

Source: gamble on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.