tempt fate

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.

With California's population near 40 million, the need for housing has prompted builders to tempt fate by erecting homes in fire-prone areas.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2025

He’s going to tempt fate and make the unconventional decisions, and we should be used to that.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2023

"And because the U.S. has yet to display the growth infirmities of the rest of the world, the U.S. stands apart, and the Fed has signalled that it can tempt fate."

From Reuters • Sep. 25, 2023

I don't want to tempt fate, but when people win Eurovision they often perform a multi-lingual version of the song to close the show.

From BBC • May 7, 2023

You don’t tempt fate, you ignore it completely.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee