sweepstakes

sweep·stakes

noun

pl. -·stakes·

a lottery in which each participant puts up money in a common fund which is given as the prize to the winner or in shares to several winners
1. a contest, esp. a horse race, the result of which determines the winner or winners of such a lottery
2. the prize or prizes won in such a lottery
any of various other lotteries

Origin of sweepstakes

because the winner “sweeps in” all of the stakes

Also sweep′stake·

Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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"sweepstakes." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/sweepstakes>.

APA Style

sweepstakes. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/sweepstakes

sweepstakes

plural noun

used with a sing. or pl. verb

A contest, often promoting a product or service, in which participants enter without paying to win usually one of several prizes. Winners are selected at random from the pool of entrants.
a. A lottery in which the participants' contributions form a fund that is awarded as a prize to one or several winners.
b. An event or contest, especially a horserace, the result of which determines the winner of such a lottery.
c. The prize won in such a lottery.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"sweepstakes." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/sweepstakes>.

APA Style

sweepstakes. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/sweepstakes

Noun

plural form of sweepstake

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"sweepstakes." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/sweepstakes>.

APA Style

sweepstakes. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/sweepstakes

SentencesSentence examples

Sentence Examples

As if there weren't enough options online when it comes to Easy Spirit shoes, now you can design your own wish list and address book, be automatically entered in periodic sweepstakes and be alerted to new promotions and sales.
If the email that appears to be a scam is from someone claiming to have sweepstakes winnings for you, or an inheritance or some other financial windfall you weren't expecting, use extreme caution.
Radio stations, bars, clubs, and restaurants are all establishing their own contests and sweepstakes to choose more passengers to invite, and some are also giving away free passage on the cruise.
Special promotions are held on a regular basis to help you earn extra Swagbucks or to give you a chance to enter sweepstakes for vacations, home theater systems, and other prizes.
You can also enter for sweepstakes, giveaways, arrange for quick checkouts, get free shipping with a $50 minimum purchase, free gifts and all sorts of benefits!

Also Mentioned In

Charles, Prince of Wales

WORDS NEAR sweepstakes IN THE DICTIONARY