Risky means involving the chance of danger, loss, or failure. When something is risky, you might get what you want, but you also might end up worse off than when you started.

Climbing a tall tree is risky because you might fall. Investing money in a new business is risky because the business might fail and you could lose what you invested. Trying out for the school play is risky in a different way: you might not get a part, but you won't get physically hurt. The level of risk varies greatly depending on what you might lose.

People often weigh whether something is worth the risk. A scientist might pursue a risky experiment because the potential discovery matters so much. An explorer might take a risky journey because the destination is important enough. Sometimes doing nothing at all can be risky too: if you never try anything risky, you might miss out on great opportunities.

The opposite of risky is safe or secure. A risk is the actual danger or potential loss you face. When you take a risk, you accept that things might not work out, but you try anyway. Understanding risk can help you make decisions about when to play it safe and when to take a chance on something worthwhile.