increase risk

USAGE SUMMARY

"increase risk" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You could use it to describe the potential for something risky to become more risky. Example: "Installing outdated software can increase risk of data breaches."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But it would increase risk and make some things harder".

The New Yorker

You increase risk and you may reduce return".

The Guardian

They don't seem to increase risk taking.

The New York Times

Rare chromosomal deletions and duplications increase risk of schizophrenia.

Nature

Rather, if anything, they appear to increase risk.

The New York Times - Magazine

Does Apolipoprotein E Genotype Increase Risk of Postoperative Delirium?

Harvard University

SSRIs, for example, may increase risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Harvard University

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) increase risk of cardiometabolic disease.

Stanford University

A combination of these factors "may increase risk twenty- to fiftyfold," Dr. Rosendaal said.

The New York Times - Health

Head injuries may increase risk; high blood pressure is a new suspect.

The New York Times

Q: Do adjuvants added to flu vaccine increase risk of an autoimmune reaction?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about "increase risk", be specific about what factors contribute to the elevated risk and who or what is affected. For example, specify, 'Prolonged exposure to UV radiation increases the risk of skin cancer'.

Common error

Avoid vague statements like 'This increases risk'. Always clarify which specific risk is being increased and what the potential consequences are. Instead, use 'This increases the risk of project delays and budget overruns'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "increase risk" functions as a verb phrase where 'increase' acts as a transitive verb and 'risk' is its direct object. As seen in Ludwig, it indicates an action that elevates the probability of an undesirable event.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "increase risk" is a commonly used and grammatically correct way to describe the elevation of potential hazards. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for a wide range of contexts. Usage analysis reveals its prevalence in news, academic and scientific domains. To enhance clarity, it's advisable to specify the type of risk and contributing factors when using this phrase. While various alternatives exist, such as "heighten the risk" or "raise the stakes", "increase risk" remains a versatile and direct option for conveying potential dangers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

heighten the risk

Emphasizes the degree of increase in risk, implying a significant rise.

raise the stakes

Implies increasing the potential consequences, not just the likelihood of something negative.

escalate the danger

Focuses on the intensification of danger, a more specific form of risk.

amplify the threat

Highlights the amplification of a threat, suggesting a more menacing increase in risk.

aggravate the peril

Suggests making an existing peril worse, rather than simply increasing the risk.

compound the uncertainty

Focuses on increasing uncertainty, which can contribute to risk, but isn't direct increase of risk.

magnify the vulnerability

Implies increasing susceptibility to harm, shifting the focus to the entity at risk.

exacerbate the exposure

Emphasizes the increase in exposure to a risk factor, leading to increased potential harm.

intensify the hazard

Focuses on the intensification of a hazard, another specific type of risk.

add to the likelihood of danger

More verbose and focuses on likelihood, altering the register slightly.

FAQs

How can I use "increase risk" in a sentence?

You can use "increase risk" to describe situations where certain actions or conditions elevate the potential for negative outcomes. For example, "Driving without headlights at night will increase risk of an accident".

What are some alternatives to saying "increase risk"?

Alternatives include "heighten the risk", "raise the stakes", or "escalate the danger" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "increase risk" or "increases risk"?

The correct form depends on the subject of your sentence. Use "increase risk" with plural subjects or "I/you/we/they", and "increases risk" with singular subjects like "he/she/it" or a singular noun. For example: "Poor maintenance practices increase risk" versus "Poor maintenance practice increases risk".

What factors typically "increase risk" in project management?

Common factors that "increase risk" in project management include inadequate planning, unclear communication, scope creep, and insufficient resource allocation.