stake

1 of 2

noun

1
: a pointed piece of wood or other material driven or to be driven into the ground as a marker or support
2
a
: a post to which a person is bound for execution by burning
b
: execution by burning at a stake
3
a
: 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
6
: stakes race
usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

stake

2 of 2

verb

staked; staking

transitive verb

1
: to mark the limits of by or as if by stakes
2
: to tether to a stake
3
: bet, wager
4
: to fasten up or support (something, such as a plant) with stakes
5
: to back financially
6
Phrases
at stake
: at issue : in jeopardy
stake a claim
: to assert a title or right to something by or as if by placing stakes usually to satisfy a legal requirement

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
OpenAI’s Altman, who owns or controls about 12.16 million Reddit shares, has a stake currently worth $613 million. Todd Spangler, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024 Glory wasn’t the only reward at stake: Prize money and international celebrity were also on the line. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024 Many on social media noted that the recent drama speaks to how high stakes managing the image of the royal family can be, a theme the job posting itself also stressed. Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 The fate of Paramount has been the talk of Hollywood in recent months, with a number of potential bidders circling the company, as well as National Amusements, the Redstone family company that has a controlling stake. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2024 The 65-year-old Belgian designer, known for his avant-garde collections and sumptuous use of colours, sold a majority stake of his brand to Spanish fashion and beauty conglomerate Puig in 2018. Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2024 Both sides argue that the future of the country, even the nature of its government, is at stake. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 The Mountain West regular-season championship is still at stake, just not for the No. 21 Aztecs (22-8, 11-6), who were mathematically eliminated after Tuesday’s 62-58 loss at UNLV. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 As for Fans Fest, Samson said other MLB teams would have a right to be upset that the A’s are continuously putting in little effort to connect with their fanbase, particularly when there’s revenue at stake. Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
That cohort was transformational for YC, as midway through the process a surprise announcement dramatically changed the terms for every wannabe unicorn: Instead of an initial investment of around $20,000 for each company, every participant was staked $150,000. Steven Levy, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2024 In the meantime, Royce Lewis recovered from his knee surgery, returned to the major-league roster and staked his claim to third base. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2024 From setting up your campground to staking your claim at the beach, this portable cooler will keep your drinks and snacks cold and fresh throughout it all. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2024 Raffles repurposed the landmark Old War Office—Churchill's erstwhile HQ—while the Peninsula broke new ground just opposite the Buckingham Palace garden, both brands staking claims in prime London real estate. Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024 Coinbase’s staking services were specifically mentioned in the SEC’s suit against the firm as evidence of an unregistered investment contract. Abubakar Nur Khalil, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 Whereas responsible token exchanges provide useful services, such as custody, staking, and market liquidity, reckless ones encourage bad behavior and play fast and loose with people’s money. Chris Dixon, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2024 Phillips at first staked his presidential campaign on a strong showing in New Hampshire's Democratic primary, which operated as an unsanctioned party contest where Mr. Biden wasn't even on the ballot because of the new primary calendar instituted by the president and national Democratic leaders. Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024 Currently, over 25% of ETH is staked, meaning it’s locked up out of circulation, putting further constraints on supply. Victoria Chynoweth, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English staca; akin to Middle Low German stake pole, and perhaps to Latin tignum beam

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stake was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near stake

Cite this Entry

“Stake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stake. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stake

1 of 2 noun
1
: a pointed piece (as of wood or metal) driven or to be driven into the ground especially as a marker or support
2
: a post to which a person is bound for execution by burning
3
a
: something that is staked for gain or loss
b
: the prize in a contest
c
: an interest or share in a business
4

stake

2 of 2 verb
staked; staking
1
a
: to mark the limits of by stakes
stake out a mining claim
b
: to tie to a stake
c
: to fasten up or support (as plants) with stakes
2
b
: to back financially

Legal Definition

stake

noun
1
: the subject matter (as property or an obligation) of an interpleader
2
: an interest or share in an especially commercial undertaking

More from Merriam-Webster on stake

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