Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

bet

[bet] / bɛt /
NOUN
game of chance; money gambled
Synonyms
STRONGEST
betting chance long shot odds pledge risk speculation stake venture wager
STRONG
action ante hazard lot lottery parlay play plunge pot raffle shot sweepstakes uncertainty
WEAK
down on odds-on random shot shot in the dark
Antonyms
STRONGEST
certainty
VERB
gamble
Synonyms
STRONGEST
pony up speculate wager
STRONG
ante chance dice game hazard pledge put risk set trust venture
WEAK
buy in on lay down lay odds play against play for play the ponies put money on tempt fortune toss up
Antonyms
STRONG
displace remove

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For many Indian students, what was once a plan is now a bet.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

“We would not bet against that ingenuity and flexibility this time either,” they said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Another problem: Derivatives the firm had sold to hedge against price moves for cargoes from the Middle East were suddenly a bet against the crude market just as it was exploding higher.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Will Denyer, chief economist at Gavekal Research, suggests pairing long positions in Brazilian and South Korean Equities: Brazil chiefly as a hedge against ongoing conflict and South Korea as a bet on peace.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

“Fine. But I’ll bet you that if this goes well, it could be the first of many regattas we host, and one way or another, you’re going to get in one.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Vocabulary lists containing bet

Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 5

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!