high-risk, high-reward

English

Adjective

high-risk, high-reward

1. (idiomatic, especially in finance) Involving significant potential for loss but also offering the possibility of substantial gains or benefits if successful.

   I warned him that this was a high-risk, high reward situation and that he should be prepared to lose it all.

   • 1969 December 10, Austin M. O'Malley, “Enterprise division for new products”, in The Times, London, page 25:

     It has attracted to it (from outside and inside Monsanto) young entrepreneurs (usually M.B.A.s from the graduate schools) with the willingess and capacity to flourish in a high risk, high reward situation.

Related terms

• double or quits
• high-stakes
• go all the way
• go big or go home