stake
noun
\ ˈstāk
\
\
Definition of stake
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a pointed piece of wood or other material driven or to be driven into the ground as a marker or support
2a
: a post to which a person is bound for execution by burning
b
: execution by burning at a stake
3a
: something that is staked for gain or loss
b
: the prize in a contest
c
: an interest or share in an undertaking or enterprise
4
: a Mormon territorial jurisdiction comprising a group of wards
5
: grubstake
6
: stakes race
—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
at stake
: at issue : in jeopardy
stake
verb
staked;
staking
Definition of stake (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to mark the limits of by or as if by stakes
2
: to tether to a stake
4
: to fasten up or support (something, such as a plant) with stakes
5
: to back financially
6
: grubstake
stake a claim
: to assert a title or right to something by or as if by placing stakes usually to satisfy a legal requirement
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Synonyms & Antonyms for stake
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Verb
bankroll, capitalize, endow, finance, fund, subsidize, underwrite
Antonyms: Verb
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Examples of stake in a Sentence
Noun
Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. a poker game with high stakes The stakes are too high.Verb
She staked the tomatoes to keep them from falling over. the actor staked the entire production of the film with his own money
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The two will square off – with the Eastside Hard Hat Trophy at stake -- on Oct. 18 at Chandler Park. — Wright Wilson And Keith Dunlap, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan high school football 2019: Predicting conference winners," 28 Aug. 2019 Next year’s primary runs from March 3-10, with 13 convention delegates at stake. — John Wildermuth, SFChronicle.com, "How Democrats get out the vote — from overseas," 27 Aug. 2019 But while acknowledging all of that, all the grim realities, the specific failures of directors and chairmen at Bury and Bolton, the weird complacency and inertia of the authorities, there is a fundamental point at stake. — Jonathan Wilson, SI.com, "The Tragedy of Bury and Bolton," 27 Aug. 2019 But close examination reveals that there’s more at stake. — Benjamin Studebaker, The New Republic, "The Real Stakes of Trump’s Trade War With China," 27 Aug. 2019 With so much at stake, everybody is elbowing and shoving each other to get a chair. — Charles Eisenstein, Quartz, "How a game of musical chairs can help explain our broken economy," 27 Aug. 2019 As Brazil and the world mobilize soldiers and finances in response to a wave of wildfires in the Amazon, far more is at stake than Brazil’s international reputation. — Andrew Freedman, BostonGlobe.com, "What you need to know about the Amazon rainforest fires," 27 Aug. 2019 The doesn’t mean certain players and position groups don’t have a lot at stake in terms of setting a tone for their contributions this season. — Nathan Baird, cleveland.com, "Which Ohio State players have something to prove against Florida Atlantic?," 27 Aug. 2019 What’s at stake when medical exemptions are misused When kids who have no need for medical exemptions get them, the rate of vaccination coverage clearly goes down. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "What Actually Counts as a Medical Exemption for Vaccines—and What's at Stake When They're Abused," 26 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The only logical next step was to stake a claim and form a government. — Manavi Kapur, Quartz India, "A poll on Twitter has birthed an all-spoof alternative Indian government," 28 Aug. 2019 In a crowded field, Booker has tried to stake his claim on criminal and racial justice, but has yet to break through on those issues in a Democratic primary currently more focused on health care and taking on President Donald Trump. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "Cory Booker’s college football struggles echo in his presidential campaign," 30 July 2019 About an hour after the shooting, some officers staked at the crime scene were sent scrambling to respond to a call of shots fired nearby on 62nd Street and South Saint Lawrence Avenue. — Alice Yin, chicagotribune.com, "At least 5 killed, 30 wounded by gun violence so far in Chicago over Fourth of July weekend," 5 July 2019 Scott Olson/Getty Images But the candidates will also have to stake ground on key issues, primarily on the future of free-trade deals. — Alex Ward, Vox, "Trade, defense, and Israel: 2020 Democrats’ foreign policy flashpoints," 27 June 2019 The move continues to stake California's position as a bulwark against the policies of Republican President Donald Trump. — CBS News, "California clears way to provide health care to some immigrants," 10 June 2019 Some of those graves were plundered centuries ago, largely by enemy tribes seeking to stake a claim on the territory by desecrating the Scythians’ burial sites. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Satellites watch over the graves of ancient steppe nomads," 26 Dec. 2018 Jockey: Javier Castellano Record: 4-0-1 in six starts Notable: This will be a huge step up in class after a win in the Federico Tesio stakes at Laurel Park last month. — Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, "Meet the horses hoping to upset favorite Justify in Preakness," 18 May 2018 Theranos was valued at more than $9 billion at the time, and Ms. Holmes’s majority stake at more than half that. — Gerard Baker, WSJ, "The 10-Point.," 15 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stake.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for stake
stake
noun
English Language Learners Definition of stake
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a pointed stick or post that is pushed into the ground especially to mark a place or to support something
: a post that a person was tied to and burned on in the past as a form of punishment
: something (such as money) that you could win or lose in a game, contest, etc.
stake
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of stake (Entry 2 of 2)
: to risk the loss of (something, such as money)
: to support (something, such as a plant) with stakes