sweepstakes
sweepstakes Lexical Profile
sweepstakes Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A promotional contest or drawing in which prizes are awarded to winners selected at random without requiring a purchase or entry fee.
"She won a family vacation to Hawaii after entering an online sweepstakes sponsored by a cereal company."
A form of gambling, especially on horse races, in which all the stakes are pooled and divided among the winners.
"The office organized an informal sweepstakes for the annual championship race."
A contest or competitive situation in which several rivals vie for a major prize, advantage, or position.
"Several major technology firms are currently leading the artificial intelligence sweepstakes."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although ending in '-s', 'sweepstakes' is used as both a singular and plural noun in American English (e.g., 'a sweepstakes'), whereas British English more commonly uses the singular form 'sweepstake' for an individual betting pool.
• Rhymes for sweepstakes
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating in the late 15th century, the word combines 'sweep' and 'stakes', literally referring to a winner who sweeps all the wagered money off the gaming table.