high-risk
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Involving a high degree of risk or danger: Used to describe an activity, investment, or situation that has a significant chance of resulting in loss, failure, or harm.
- Financially speculative or unsafe: Specifically describes ventures, especially investments, that are not secure and carry a strong possibility of financial loss.
Usage
- The adjective "high-risk" is typically used attributively, meaning it comes before the noun it modifies (e.g., a high-risk procedure, high-risk loans).
- It describes the inherent quality of the noun, indicating that caution or special consideration is warranted.
Examples
- Attributive use:
- The bank avoided offering mortgages to high-risk borrowers.
- Due to her age and medical history, the pregnancy was classified as high-risk.
- Investing in startup companies is considered a high-risk strategy.
Advanced Usage
- "high-risk, high-reward": A common phrase describing a venture where the potential for great gain is proportional to the great chance of loss.
- The fund specializes in high-risk, high-reward biotechnology stocks.
Variants and Related Words
- Risk (n): The possibility of loss, injury, or other adverse circumstance.
- Risky (adj): Full of the possibility of danger, failure, or loss. (Note: "risky" is a more general synonym, while "high-risk" often implies a formally assessed or particularly elevated level of risk.)
- Speculative (adj): Engaged in, or involving, financial risk in the hope of profit.
Synonyms
- Dangerous: Likely to cause harm or injury.
- Hazardous: Involving risk, especially to health or safety.
- Precarious: Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse (can be used figuratively for situations).
- Unsafe: Not safe; dangerous.
Antonyms
- Low-risk: Involving a small chance of loss or failure.
- Safe: Protected from or not exposed to danger or risk.
- Secure: Fixed or fastened so as not to give way, become loose, or be lost (can be used for financial contexts).
- Conservative: (In finance) Favoring traditional views and values; tending to avoid risk.
Adjective
- not financially safe or secure
- a bad investment
- high risk investments
- anything that promises to pay too much can't help being risky
- speculative business enterprises