run a risk

Meaning

This expression means to do something that involves a danger or the possibility of something bad happening. It is used to warn someone or describe a situation where a negative outcome is likely if a certain action is taken. The tone is neutral and realistic.

Examples

• If you don't back up your files, you run a risk of losing all your work.

  If you don't back up your files, you run a risk of losing all your work.

• We run the risk of missing our flight if we don't leave for the airport right now.

  We run the risk of missing our flight if we don't leave for the airport right now.

• Investing all your money in one stock means you run a major risk.

  Investing all your money in one stock means you run a major risk.

• I don't want to run the risk of offending her, so I'll choose my words carefully.

  I don't want to run the risk of offending her, so I'll choose my words carefully.

• Driving in this heavy snowstorm is running a huge risk.

  Driving in this heavy snowstorm is running a huge risk.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ You make a risk of losing your job.

  ✓ You run a risk of losing your job.

  The verb that collocates with 'risk' in this context is 'run', not 'make'.

• ✗ He ran the risk to fail the exam.

  ✓ He ran the risk of failing the exam.

  'Run the risk' is followed by the preposition 'of' and a gerund (-ing form), not a to-infinitive.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If you don't wear a coat in this freezing weather, you ___ of getting sick.

  💡 Expose yourself to a negative outcome

  Show answer

  run a risk

• I don't want to ___ of losing my deposit, so I'll cancel the booking on time.

  💡 Face the possibility of a bad result

  Show answer

  run the risk