imperil

verb

im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl
imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling

transitive verb

: to bring into peril : endanger
imperilment
im-ˈper-əl-mənt How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl-
noun

Examples of imperil in a Sentence

The toxic fumes imperiled the lives of the trapped miners. The financial health of the company was imperiled by a string of bad investments. a list of imperiled species
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Still, the committee warns that actions against campuses, like canceling research grants and shutting down academic freedom, have become too broad and could imperil innovation and detract from the fight against antisemitism. Calmatters, Mercury News, 8 July 2025 But after gaining considerable traction during the COVID-19 pandemic, that work is now imperiled. Aneri Pattani, CBS News, 8 July 2025 No single heat wave from human history has been assigned the narrative resonance of the Vesuvius eruption, or the mythic power of the storms that imperiled Odysseus. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025 That figure saw a decline, in part, due to terrorist incidents, including last year’s bomb threat that imperiled a Taylor Swift concert (which went on to be canceled as a result), CNN reported. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for imperil

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inperiled, from in- in- entry 2 + peril peril entry 1 + -ed -ed entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imperil was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imperil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperil. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

imperil

verb
im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl How to pronounce imperil (audio)
imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling
: to place in great danger : endanger
imperilment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on imperil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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