'Stake' is a bet, a share or interest in something, or a pointed post; 'steak' is a thick slice of meat.
Noun/verb. Something wagered in a bet. A share or financial interest in a business. A pointed stick driven into the ground. Also: to bet or risk.
The company has a major stake in the outcome of this negotiation.
He staked his entire reputation on the success of the project.
With so much at stake, we cannot afford to make mistakes.
Noun. A thick slice of meat, typically beef, cut from the muscle. Also used for thick cuts of fish.
She ordered a medium-rare ribeye steak for dinner.
The restaurant is famous for its aged steaks and craft cocktails.
A good steak needs very little seasoning — just salt and pepper.
Common mistake
"She has a steak in the company" when meaning a financial share (correct: stake). Or "There is a lot at steak" for "at stake" — a surprisingly common mistake in business writing.
Trick to remember it
'Steak' contains EA like 'meat' and 'eat' — you eat a steak. 'Stake' has just an A — like 'wager', 'gamble', 'chance' — things you risk.
Quick rule
Is it the meat you eat? 'Steak'. Is it the bet, the interest, or the pointed post? 'Stake'.
Did you know?
'At stake' comes from an old custom of placing wagers — money, goods — literally on a stake (a post in the ground) at the site of a competition. The winner claimed what hung from the stake. This physical origin explains why 'high stakes' (mucho en juego) and 'stake a claim' (reclamar algo) still feel so visceral. The word 'steak' has a different origin: Old Norse 'steik' (to roast on a stick).
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The investor holds a thirty percent _____ in the startup.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
They ordered two rib-eye _____ and a bottle of red wine.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Is it the meat you eat? 'Steak'. Is it the bet, the interest, or the pointed post? 'Stake'.
"She has a steak in the company" when meaning a financial share (correct: stake). Or "There is a lot at steak" for "at stake" — a surprisingly common mistake in business writing.
'Steak' contains EA like 'meat' and 'eat' — you eat a steak. 'Stake' has just an A — like 'wager', 'gamble', 'chance' — things you risk.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy