1. pointed wooden or metal posts driven into the ground for support or marking
2. something that is risked or wagered in a bet or contest
3. the level of risk or importance involved in a situation

Examples

• The workers drove wooden stakes into the ground to mark the property boundary.
• The poker game had high stakes, with thousands of dollars on the table.
• The stakes are high in this championship match.
• She has significant stakes in several technology companies.
• They used metal stakes to secure the tent in the windy conditions.
• The political stakes couldn’t be higher in this election.
• His financial stakes in the project made him very invested in its success.