imperil
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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imperilsimple
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imperilssimple
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have imperiledperfect
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have imperilledperfect
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has imperiledperfect
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has imperilledperfect
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am imperilingprogressive
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am imperillingprogressive
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are imperilingprogressive
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are imperillingprogressive
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is imperilingprogressive
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is imperillingprogressive
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have been imperilingperfect progressive
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have been imperillingperfect progressive
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has been imperilingperfect progressive
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has been imperillingperfect progressive
Past
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imperiledsimple
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imperilledsimple
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had imperiledperfect
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had imperilledperfect
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was imperilingprogressive
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was imperillingprogressive
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were imperilingprogressive
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were imperillingprogressive
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had been imperilingperfect progressive
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had been imperillingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of imperil
Explanation
One thing can imperil another when it threatens to be harmful. For example, an approaching storm with hurricane-force winds might imperil the geraniums you just planted in your front yard. A city's budget cuts might imperil a school's ability to hire new teachers and buy supplies. The lack of money, in other words, is a threat to schools. Likewise, a factory's refusal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions will imperil the air quality nearby — and ultimately, imperil the health of the whole planet. The word imperil comes from in and peril, meaning "danger."
Vocabulary lists containing imperil
This Week in Words: March 10 - 16, 2018
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This Week in Words: September 17 - 24, 2017
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This Week in Words: December 1 - 7 , 2018
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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.
But he warns that even using the 4% rule, persistently high inflation would imperil portfolios by making retirees withdraw more and more money each year.
From Barron's • May 30, 2026
The Justice Department filed an appeal against Leon's ruling on Thursday, arguing it "would imperil the president and national security and indefinitely leave a large hole beside the Executive Residence".
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Ms. Khan’s goal was to delay mergers, which could imperil the financing for some.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
Surreptitious dealings with a high-stakes Vegas gambler could imperil Jeff Shell’s role in Paramount Skydance as it looks to merge with Warner Bros.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026
He had told himself, as he walked to see his father, that any show of emotions, any hint of final leave-taking could imperil the escape.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
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.
