jeopardize

especially British, jeop·ard·ise

[jep-er-dahyz]

verb (used with object)

jeopardized, jeopardizing 

1. to put in jeopardy; hazard; risk; imperil.

   He jeopardized his life every time he dived from the tower.

jeopardize

/ ˈdʒɛpəˌdaɪz /

verb

1. to risk; hazard

   he jeopardized his job by being persistently unpunctual

2. to put in danger; imperil

Other Word Forms

• rejeopardize verb (used with object)
• unjeopardized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of jeopardize¹

First recorded in 1640–50; jeopard(y) + -ize

Example Sentences

The bulk of Amazon’s revenue still comes from retail and e-commerce, giving the company the cash flow and scale to invest heavily in AI infrastructure without jeopardizing its core business.

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The benchmark 10-year Treasury rate hit 4.8% earlier this year on inflation concerns, trade jitters and worries about political interference that could jeopardize the Fed’s independence on policy decisions.

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The government shutdown halted data collection for economic indicators, potentially jeopardizing the October Consumer Price Index report.

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U.S. officials have privately urged Netanyahu to limit the response to Hamas’s attacks to avoid jeopardizing the cease-fire, while his far-right political partners are calling for restarting the fighting.

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He cut off all U.S. aid to Columbia, one of Washington’s closest counternarcotics partners, jeopardizing decades of security cooperation.

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Related Words

• imperil 
• threaten