high-risk

IPA/ˌhaɪ ˈrɪsk/
IPA/ˌhaɪ ˈrɪsk/

high-risk — adjective

1. describes a person, activity, investment, or situation where the chance of loss,

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a person, activity, investment, or situation where the chance of loss, injury, or failure is much greater than what is normally considered acceptable — for example, lending money to someone unlikely to repay it, or performing surgery on a very weak patient.

例句

Hamza was classified as a high-risk patient by the hospital after his heart attack.

collocation: high-risk patient

The bank's high-risk loan policy made it harder for small businesses to get funding.

financial context: high-risk loan policy

同義詞
  • risky

    more general and less formal; used for everyday situations

  • dangerous

    focuses on immediate physical harm rather than statistical probability

  • hazardous

    more formal; typically describes physical or environmental dangers such as chemicals or working conditions

  • speculative

    limited to financial contexts; suggests high uncertainty with potential for large gains

反義詞
  • safe

    opposite in all contexts — indicates no or very low danger

  • low-risk

    direct opposite; same register and professional contexts

  • secure

    specifically for investments or financial situations

文法句型

be + high-risk

high-risk + noun

用法筆記

Common in formal and professional contexts such as finance, medicine, and insurance. Almost always used before a noun (attributive position) — e.g., a high-risk investment, a high-risk patient — but is also used predicatively: 'The surgery is high-risk.'

常見錯誤

I don't want to take a high-risk walk in the park after dark.
I don't want to take a risky walk in the park after dark.
💡'high-risk' sounds overly formal and technical for everyday minor dangers; use 'risky' instead.