"Risk of" or "risk for"? (2024)

e2efour said:

The preposition used (which also includes to) depends on the context.
Can you provide us with sentences using risk for/to?

Click to expand...

Well, my question is the other way out: in what contexts is it correct to use "risk for" and in what "risk of".

The increased risk for acute lymphoid leukemia alone was 43 %, the researchers said.

Men are at greater risk for Barrett’s esophagus and much greater risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma than women.

Advancing age has been inconsistently associated with an increased risk for GERD symptoms.

(The sentence below from an article written by an American is what I would write):
On one hand, certain forms of physical activity are associated with an increased risk of GERD.

If I changed "for" to "of," would the meanings change? Or that is simply stilted and wrong?

Below are part of the content from Online Oxford Collocation Dictionary
at ~ from/of Journalists in the zone are at serious risk of being kidnapped.
at the ~ of At the risk of sounding rude, don't you think you'd better change for the party?
at ~ to He saved the child at considerable risk to himself.

I can understand the use of "for" in the following two sentences.
There is relatively little financial risk for the company.
The political risks for the president are minimal.

A previous thread is similar to my question without any substantial discussion, so I start another one.
"Risk of" or "risk for"?

[[ Moderator note. That is NOT a good reason for starting another thread on exactly the same topic. The threads have been merged. ]]

Thank you in advance.

~ for The increased risk for acute lymphoid leukemia alone was 43 %, the researchers said. – for = in respect of; for is not part of the "risk" construction, it is part of for acute lymphoid leukemia - an adjectival phrase.

~ from The risk from radon is higher if the person is an ex-smoker -> from = that originates in; [that is] presented by From is not part of the "risk" construction, it is part of from radon - an adjectival phrase.

~ of The increased risk of acute lymphoid leukemia alone was 43 %, the researchers said. Of = [that is] associated with; [that is] possessed by. Of is not part of the "risk" construction, it is part of of acute lymphoid leukemia - an adjectival phrase.

The following are both modifiers comprised of [preposition + substantive]

at ~ of Journalists in the zone are at risk of being kidnapped. -> at risk = adjectival phrase. Of is not part of the "risk" construction: "of being kidnapped is an adjectival phrase modifying "risk"

at ~ to He saved the child at [a] considerable risk to himself. -> at risk = adverbial phrase. “to” is not part of the construction: to belongs to “to himself”: a dative or adjectival phrase.

This is more complicated:
at the ~ of At the risk of sounding rude, …? It seems to me that it is a shortened form of “Although I am aware that I am taking the risk of sounding rude, I will ask the question …”

Personally, I would instinctively say “risk of” a medical condition (but “risk factors for” it).

However, risk for is obviously widely used in the same context – probably more in AE than BE.

Thank you, lingobingo.

PaulQ said:

~ for The increased risk for acute lymphoid leukemia alone was 43 %, the researchers said. – for = in respect of; for is not part of the "risk" construction, it is part of for acute lymphoid leukemia - an adjectival phrase.

Click to expand...

PaulQ said:

~ of The increased risk of acute lymphoid leukemia alone was 43 %, the researchers said. Of = [that is] associated with; [that is] possessed by. Of is not part of the "risk" construction, it is part of of acute lymphoid leukemia - an adjectival phrase.

Click to expand...

Thank you, Paul. No offense, but I prefer something about its meaning instead of its grammar.

prudent260 said:

No offense, but I prefer something about its meaning instead of its grammar.

Click to expand...

No offence taken but your question was long and unclear.

I have given you the meaning of of, from, for, etc., and have explained the meaning of "at risk".

Nouns in general, and the noun "risk" particularly, can be followed by numerous prepositions. The prepositions are usually part of a modifier.

There is a risk over and above the one I have mentioned,
The money is at risk with no way of lessening the threat.
The war caused the population to be at risk through a lack of shelter.

etc.

PaulQ said:

No offence taken but your question was long and unclear.

Click to expand...

Thank you for pointing it out. I didn't really notice it. The below sentence is my question in the OP.

prudent260 said:

If I changed "for" to "of," would the meanings change? Or that is simply stilted and wrong?

Click to expand...

According to lingobingo, they seem to interchangeable in the context. What is your opinion, Paul?

lingobingo said:

However, risk for is obviously widely used in the same context – probably more in AE than BE.

Click to expand...

prudent260 said:

According to lingobingo, they seem to interchangeable in the context. What is your opinion, Paul?

Click to expand...

My opinion is that the question is unclear. Because you have given multiple examples, I don't really know if you are looking for the appropriate preposition in one particular sentence, or a reason why various prepositions are used after "risk". Nor do I know if you understand that "risk" has different grammatical functions in the examples you have given.

As I have stated: of and for are not collocated with risk but with the following substantive, and the preposition that changes the nature of what becomes an adjectival modifier.

By asking "Is it for or of?", you are asking "What type of [an] increased risk is it?" Is it
an increased {in respect of (or possibly, because of) acute lymphoid leukemia} risk? i.e. for
or
and increased {possessed by or associated with acute lymphoid leukemia} risk? i.e. of.

PaulQ said:

As I have stated: of and for are not collocated with risk but with the following substantive, and the preposition that changes the nature of what becomes an adjectival modifier.

Click to expand...

This is a good point, and very important.

PaulQ said:

By asking "Is it for or of?", you are asking "What type of [an] increased risk is it?" Is it
an increased {in respect of (or possibly, because of) acute lymphoid leukemia} risk? i.e. for
or
and increased {possessed by or associated with acute lymphoid leukemia} risk? i.e. of.

Click to expand...

I must admit that the difference between the two usages explained in this way eludes me, especially that you use the same danger as an example.