imperil

American  

[im-per-uhl] / ɪmˈpɛr əl /

verb (used with object)

imperiled, imperiling, imperilled, imperilling

1. to put in peril or danger; endanger.

   Synonyms:

   chance, hazard, jeopardize, risk

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imperil British  

/ ɪmˈpɛrɪl /

verb

1. (tr) to place in danger or jeopardy; endanger

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Other Word Forms

• imperilment
  noun

Etymology

Origin of imperil

First recorded in 1590–1600; im- ¹ + peril

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."

Example Sentences

"India is a big enough power," Clary says, "that disequilibrium does not imperil its continued rise."

From BBC • May 7, 2026

One is that it can’t be sold in European Union countries, because the EU has found that its exterior design can imperil pedestrians.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Microsoft on Tuesday warned a judge that the Pentagon blacklisting of Anthropic could hamper US warfighters and imperil the country's drive to lead in artificial intelligence.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

In the mid-19th century, do-gooders such as William Alcott and Sarah Josepha Hale began urging children be fed a bland diet, lest rich flavoring imperil their health and futures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Altogether it is thought–though it is really only a guess, based on extrapolating from cratering rates on the Moon–that some two thousand asteroids big enough to imperil civilized existence regularly cross our orbit.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• compromise
• endanger
• jeopardize
• menace