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
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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:
Related: ‘He’s never been good with money’: If I set up an annuity for my brother, 65, would it jeopardize his Supplemental Security Income?
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
Despite these new opportunities, recent graduates are concerned that AI will jeopardize their career prospects.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
The union also made their initial bargaining proposal last week, the start of a long process that could jeopardize the 2027 season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026
Powell warned that political interference could damage the Fed’s standing, erode public trust, and jeopardize its mission.
From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026
I asked, controlling my temper, careful not to do or say anything that would jeopardize the Negroes’ position in the area.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
Apple and Google executives told Canadian lawmakers the bill jeopardizes privacy and digital security, potentially compelling product changes for surveillance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
That narrative is poised to present Harris’ biggest challenge if she decides to run — particularly if it jeopardizes her ability to pull in crucial funding.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026
“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
"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
If Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ultimately rules in favor of Musk, OpenAI's IPO could be jeopardized.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
“In doing so, it jeopardized the safety and well-being of its students and violated the community’s trust.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2026
It definitely jeopardized our mission, but I couldn’t help it.
From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan
This showed AI isn’t only jeopardizing IBM’s software business, it is making it harder to sell its legacy offerings in an IT market where the new technology is reprioritizing corporate spending away from Big Blue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 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
The committee’s authority is limited to very uncommon circumstances in which there are no “reasonable and prudent alternatives” that would avoid jeopardizing a listed species or impair a species’ critical habitat.
From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026
For families who have run the numbers and determined they can help without jeopardizing their own security, here are approaches I’ve seen work:
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 27, 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.
