jeopardize

verb

jeop·ar·dize ˈje-pər-ˌdīz

jeopardized; jeopardizing

Synonyms of jeopardize next

transitive verb

: to expose to danger or risk : imperil

a decision that could jeopardize her career

laws jeopardizing freedom of speech

Did you know?

Jeopardize Has a Controversial History

It may be hard to believe that jeopardize was once controversial, but in 1870 a grammarian called it "a foolish and intolerable word," a view shared by many 19th-century critics. The preferred word was jeopard, which first appeared in print in the 14th century. (The upstart jeopardize didn't arrive until the late 16th century.) In 1828, Noah Webster himself declared jeopardize to be "a modern word, used by respectable writers in America, but synonymous with jeopard, and therefore useless." Unfortunately for the champions of jeopard, jeopardize is now much more popular.

Examples of jeopardize in a Sentence

His health has been jeopardized by poor nutrition. don't do anything that will jeopardize your place on the advisory board

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.

But lose one of those and your entire business could be jeopardized. —

Chris Kille, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 This order jeopardizes the citizenship of millions of people in the United States. —

Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025 Both sides pleaded with the judge not to force them to begin making arguments, saying that would jeopardize a resolution that could avert weeks of costly litigation. —

Mark Landler, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025 The financial loss was devastating, jeopardizing their plans and their future. —

Ryan Nawrocki, Baltimore Sun, 19 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for jeopardize