stakes

2 definitions • 10 examples

In an activity or competition, the stakes are the reward for the person who wins or succeeds in it:

The team is playing for enormous stakes - the chance to play in the final.

This TV debate could determine who becomes president, so the stakes are high.

Because the stakes for good scores are so high, teachers can be tempted to exclude weaker pupils from the tests.

Both sides in the divorce settlement are playing for high stakes.

These days, tennis matches are played for huge stakes.

used in the names of horse races in which the prize money is provided by all the owners of the horses that are competing in the race:

The Twixt Stakes is held at Laurel Park Racecourse.

His horse raced again at the Challedon Stakes a week later.

The filly ran her first race at the Belmont stakes.

He wanted a new horse for the Preakness Stakes.

After a thrilling win at the Bluegrass Stakes, this horse is now a Derby contender.