jeopardize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
jeopardizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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jeopardized,
past participle, past
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jeopardizing
present participle
verb
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to risk; hazard
he jeopardized his job by being persistently unpunctual
-
to put in danger; imperil
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
jeopardizesimple
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jeopardizessimple
-
have jeopardizedperfect
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has jeopardizedperfect
-
am jeopardizingprogressive
-
are jeopardizingprogressive
-
is jeopardizingprogressive
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have been jeopardizingperfect progressive
-
has been jeopardizingperfect progressive
Past
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jeopardizedsimple
-
had jeopardizedperfect
-
was jeopardizingprogressive
-
were jeopardizingprogressive
-
had been jeopardizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of jeopardize
First recorded in 1640–50; jeopard(y) + -ize
Explanation
Jeopardize means to put at risk or pose a threat. Jeopardize your career by posting silly pictures of yourself on Facebook. Jeopardize your friendships by posting silly pictures of your friends on Facebook. Jeopardize stems from the Old French jeu parti, which literally translates to a game with divided, or even, chances. An even chance of winning hardly seems a risky endeavor, but maybe our forefathers weren't big risk-takers. Whatever the reason, jeopardize has come to mean the act of putting yourself or something at risk, through circumstance or behavior. Think of double-jeopardy on the gameshow "Jeopardy" and you'll better understand what it means to jeopardize your savings.
Vocabulary lists containing jeopardize
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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The Last Olympian
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This Week In Words: May 3–9, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But if the conversation about the ad continues throughout the golf season, it could jeopardize brand perception and partnerships in the sport.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
“This has more red flags than a May Day parade,” an industry insider said, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardize his professional relationships.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
The pipeline and oil fields themselves are undamaged, but a prolonged cut to production would jeopardize the company’s substantial cash flow from the region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Hacegaba in May launched a cyber-defense operations center to thwart tens of thousands of cyberattacks daily, which jeopardize computer systems and all equipment connected to them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
“Teacher, I want to be a sage more than anything I’ve ever wanted in this world. I don’t want to jeopardize that by falling in love with anyone.”
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
“This is an issue that jeopardizes the reliability, resilience and public safety of our communications infrastructure.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 29, 2025
“It directly jeopardizes the ability of our communities to receive life-saving emergency information in the language they understand best.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2025
“These are our anchors. This is our cultural heritage. Eliminating this funding jeopardizes the ability of communities to preserve their history,” Stein said.
From Slate ● Apr. 10, 2025
Any lapse or reduction in federal funding for HIV programming jeopardizes our progress in addressing HIV, and transfers the burden of HIV prevention, care and treatment to overwhelmed state governments.
From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2025
We ought never excuse violence or tolerate behavior that jeopardizes the safety and security of others.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The government injected billions into banks, insurance giant AIG and the automobile industry to prevent the collapse of individual companies that would have jeopardized the economy and the financial system writ large if they failed.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Crowley, her attorneys say, revealed to the public that “budget cuts had weakened the department’s readiness and jeopardized public and firefighter safety.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
"Do not approach the Strait of Hormuz; otherwise, your security will be jeopardized," Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
S. relations and jeopardized Adani’s investment in the U.S., and that they exceeded the reach of U.S. laws, according to records reviewed by the Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
Would the old Jenna have jeopardized her future for the sake of someone else?
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
However, recent observations suggest it is weakening — potentially jeopardizing Einstein’s so far unblemished theory of general relativity and calling into question the leading description for how the universe will die.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
How much money can this strategy absorb without jeopardizing future returns?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Here’s how to do it without jeopardizing your job.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Iran threatened to reimpose a blockade on Wednesday, jeopardizing 20% of global oil and LNG shipments and economic recovery.
From Barron's ● Apr. 8, 2026
A girl I’ve just met isn’t worth jeopardizing my future over.
From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
