Methods, systems, and media for demoting search results based on search query risk are provided. In some embodiments, a method for demoting search results includes: receiving a search query for a video content item; generating a plurality of search results in response to the search query; calculating a set of result goodness values; calculating a query goodness value associated with the search query based on the set of result goodness values; identifying a threshold goodness value based on the query goodness value; in response to determining that a first result goodness value of the set of result goodness values is less than the threshold goodness value, demoting a first search result of the plurality of search results, wherein the first result goodness value is associated with the first search result; and causing at least a portion of the plurality of search results to be presented based on the demotion.