hazard

Something that can cause harm, injury, or damage.

• That broken step is a hazard.
• Smoking creates a serious fire hazard.
• Workers must report any safety hazards they notice.

How to use it: hazard to someone/something (Loose wires are a hazard to children.)

Similar words: danger, threat

Common phrases: fire hazard, health hazard, safety hazard, hazard to someone

An area of sand or water on a golf course that makes hitting the ball more difficult.

• The ball landed in a hazard.
• A water hazard lies beside the green.
• She avoided both hazards with a long shot.

Similar words: obstacle

Common phrases: water hazard, sand hazard, hit a hazard, avoid the hazard

The possibility of suffering harm or losing something.

• The journey involved considerable hazard.
• They continued despite the hazard of injury.
• She spoke out at the hazard of her reputation.

How to use it: at the hazard of something (He helped them at the hazard of his own life.)

Similar words: risk, danger, peril

Opposites: safety

Common phrases: at great hazard, hazard of death, personal hazard

To take a risk with something or offer an uncertain guess or opinion.

• I can hazard a guess.
• He hazarded his life to save her.
• Would you hazard an opinion on the result?

Similar words: risk, venture

Common phrases: hazard your life, hazard a guess, hazard an opinion, hazard a prediction