high-riskˌhigh-ˈrisk adjective [only before noun] 
high-risk investmentshigh-risk patients/groups etc cancer screening for women over 55 and other high-risk groups► see thesaurus at dangerous
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- high-risk occupations such as construction work
- a high-risk investment
- A polio vaccine is recommended before travelling to high-risk areas.
- Buying a restaurant is a high-risk investment.
- It was a high-risk strategy to attack with such a small number of planes, but it was brilliantly successful.
- The AIDS awareness campaign was targeted mainly at high-risk groups, especially drug users and prostitutes.
- The drug may help to reduce strokes in high-risk patients.
- We are getting the message across to drug users that sharing needles is a high-risk behaviour.
- It will be a high-risk enterprise with many more ways of getting it badly wrong than even a bit right.
- Merely asking for a genetic test moved her into a high-risk insurance category.
- Of course, high-risk patients should get flu shots.
- Ornish has demonstrated reversal of artery clogging in high-risk patients.
- Should your management bet the company on a high-risk business strategy?
- So, for the right person, corporate finance is both a high-risk and high-reward career option.
- The third high-risk group comprises manual workers without hobbies and interests, whose entire social contact has been based on their workplace.
- Yeltsin, as he is inclined to do when backed into a corner, has taken a high-risk gamble.
THESAURUS
likely to cause death or serious harm, or cause something bad to happen: · Snow and ice are making driving conditions very dangerous.· dangerous drugs· a dangerous criminal
if something is risky, something bad could easily happen or you could easily make a mistake: · Doctors said it was too risky to operate.· a risky situation
especially written dangerous – used especially about substances, jobs, and journeys: · hazardous waste· hazardous chemicals· hazardous occupations· The expedition was extremely hazardous.
dangerous because someone is very likely to be hurt – used especially about places or conditions: · The roads are unsafe for cyclists.· unsafe working conditions
formal literary places or conditions that are treacherous are very dangerous for anyone who is walking, driving, climbing etc in them: · The snow turned to ice, making conditions treacherous for walkers.· the island’s treacherous coastline· With no lighting, the roads can be treacherous.
literary a perilous journey, situation etc is very dangerous: · a perilous journey across the sea
[only before noun] a high-risk job, situation, or behaviour is likely to be dangerous: · Drug users need to know that sharing needles is high-risk behaviour.
Longman Language Activatordangerous someone or something that is dangerous is likely to cause death or serious harm: · Snow and ice are making driving conditions very dangerous.· dangerous drugs such as heroin and crack· It's dangerous work but for men like Clement, summer firefighting is an important source of income.highly/extremely dangerous (=very dangerous): · Police described the three escaped prisoners as highly dangerous.it is dangerous (for somebody) to do something: · The pilot says it's too dangerous to try to land the plane in this weather.· It's too dangerous for the kids to play in the street.
if you do something risky , it is easy to make a mistake that might cause death or serious harm - use this about things that you decide to do although you know they may be dangerous: · He'll have to land the aircraft in a field. It's risky, but there's no alternative.· Personal insurance is expensive if you plan to take part in a risky sport such as parachuting.risky to do something: · The State Department advised its employees that fighting near the borders made it too risky to leave the country.risky business (=something you do that is risky): · the risky business of putting a space vehicle into orbit
something that is poisonous will make you ill or kill you if you swallow it or breathe it: · The boy died after eating poisonous berries.· Many of our rivers are full of poisonous chemicals.highly poisonous: · Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas.
especially written a hazardous activity or journey is one that is dangerous. Hazardous chemicals or substances are dangerous - used especially on warning signs: · All of us knew that the expedition was likely to be extremely hazardous.· Being the President's bodyguard is obviously a hazardous occupation.· In 1820, a voyage to Australia was a hazardous undertaking.· Employees who were exposed to hazardous substances are now claiming compensation.
a high-risk job, situation, place, or type of behaviour is likely to be dangerous: · A polio vaccine is recommended before travelling to high-risk areas.· We are getting the message across to drug users that sharing needles is a high-risk behaviour.
places or conditions that are treacherous are very dangerous for anyone who is walking, driving, climbing etc in them: · Strong winds and heavy rain are making driving conditions treacherous in some areas.· There are treacherous underwater currents along this stretch of coast.
written a perilous journey, situation etc is very dangerous - used especially in literature: · Refugees cross the rugged San Ysidro mountains, and it is always a perilous trip.· Blondin soon became famous as a rope-dancer. Nothing was too perilous for him to attempt.
when you are in a situation where there are risks to get into a situation where something very unpleasant might happen to you as a result of something you do: · Many refugees risk death or arrest in their attempts to flee persecution.risk doing something: · I don't want to risk offending your parents.risk your life: · The Carnegie Hero awards are given to those who risk their lives to save others.
to be in a situation where something bad might happen to you, especially because of something you do: · The people who use these drugs are often unaware of the risks they are running.run a risk of doing something: · Men run a greater risk of dying from heart disease than women.· Rather than running the risks of using harmful pesticides in your garden, try using natural or organic methods of pest control.
to be in a situation in which you risk being harmed or losing something very important or valuable: · The children were removed from the family because their father was violent and they were believed to be at risk.be at risk ofalso + for American: · Those with fair skin are more at risk of skin cancers than those with dark skin.· Some firms provide health checks for employees who are at risk of back injury.
to be in a situation in which something harmful might happen, often caused by your own actions: · The test helps identify pregnant women who are in danger of miscarriage.be in danger of doing something: · The Democrats are in danger of alienating their traditional supporters.· If the team doesn't start winning, Coach Sanders could be in danger of losing his job.
likely to be in particular danger of something bad happening, or likely to involve greater risks than usual: · high-risk occupations such as construction work· The AIDS awareness campaign was targeted mainly at high-risk groups, especially drug users and prostitutes.
also leave yourself open to American to do or say something that makes it likely that people will blame you, criticize you etc: · He has left himself open to charges of racism.· Any journalist who writes a story without checking his facts is simply laying himself open to criticism.
to talk about a particular subject when there is a risk that you may offend, annoy, or or upset someone: · A boss who puts his arm around an employee is on dangerous ground and could risk charges of harassment.· I realized I was in dangerous territory, and steered the conversation away from his business interests.
involving risk involving a risk: · It's always risky leaving your car out on the street overnight.· Being self-employed is much more risky than being a wage earner.· Risky investments can offer high yields, but also the possibility of greater losses.risky to do something: · The experiments would be too risky to perform on humans.
risks that are not necessary and that could cause harm or serious problems: · Using humor in a job interview is a dangerous thing - you never know how the interviewer will react.· Women felt that complaining about sexual harrassment was dangerous, as there was always the threat of losing their jobs.it is dangerous to do something: · It is dangerous to assume that share prices will continue to rise.
an action that is foolhardy involves so much risk that someone seems stupid for trying it: · It was foolhardy to take the plane up alone, with so little flying experience.· The country was in such huge debt that any spending proposals looked foolhardy.· I drove to the hospital at a foolhardy speed, arriving just after my wife.
something that is high-risk involves a lot of risk, but if you choose to do it and it is successful, you will have very good results: · It was a high-risk strategy to attack with such a small number of planes, but it was brilliantly successful.· a high-risk investment
something risky that you do because you hope that it will succeed and that you will gain something from it: · A gamble by the quarterback on the final play allowed them to score.· Changing jobs is always a gamble, but the opportunity looks good.a gamble pays off (=it is successful): · Despite the serious doubts of his advisors, the President's gamble paid off.
informal involving a serious risk that things will go wrong: · It's too dicey to base this policy on what might happen in the coming year.· Taking the mountain road is always a bit dicey at this time of year.
involving a serious possibility of failure or loss: · No one would lend money to a company in such a precarious position.· The typical peasant farmer has a precarious existence, at the mercy of flood, disease and famine.· His political position has become extremely precarious.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY cancer screening for women over 55 and other high-risk groupsCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
involving a risk of death, injury, failure etc OPP low-risk: cancer screening for women over 55 and other high-risk groups· Planning laws had been tightened to restrict building in high-risk areas.· Earthquake and hurricane insurance would be required in high-risk areas as a contingency to receiving federal aid to rebuild after a disaster.· If you live a high-risk area, the likelihood increases to one in 13.
· The third high-risk group comprises manual workers without hobbies and interests, whose entire social contact has been based on their workplace.· Our policy is not to give beta blockers to everybody, only those in high-risk groups.· Young adults aged 17 to 20 are also a high-risk group.· Tests are currently confined to high-risk groups such as drug users and homosexuals.
· Beta blockade should also be considered in the high-risk patients.· Ornish has demonstrated reversal of artery clogging in high-risk patients.· Bronchoscopy is a time-consuming, hospital-bound procedure; ideally the technique should be limited to high-risk patients.· Of course, high-risk patients should get flu shots.· This study shows the value of clinical follow-up of high-risk patients to detect early thin melanomas.· Other high-risk patients are those undergoing therapy with immunosuppressive agents, anti-cancer drugs and steroids.
high-risk investmentshigh-risk patients/groups etc cancer screening for women over 55 and other high-risk groups► see thesaurus at dangerous