jeopardize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
jeopardizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
jeopardized,
past participle, past
-
jeopardizing
present participle
verb
-
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
-
jeopardizessimple
-
have jeopardizedperfect
-
has jeopardizedperfect
-
am jeopardizingprogressive
-
are jeopardizingprogressive
-
is jeopardizingprogressive
-
have been jeopardizingperfect progressive
-
has been jeopardizingperfect progressive
Past
-
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Last Olympian
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week In Words: May 3–9, 2020
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Angel City sporting director Mark Parsons is taking his time searching for a new coach in a strategy that could jeopardize the team’s playoff chances.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
In that case, Kelley worried, even his “Take Me Instead” letter — in which he asked his senator to arrange for him to trade places with Jackson — might jeopardize his son’s naval career.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
A yen recovery will require an aggressive hiking cycle, but the central bank is unlikely to jeopardize growth in such a manner, he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
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
If I testified on behalf of the ANC, I would jeopardize my chances of bringing about reconciliation among the different groups.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
“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
When severe weather jeopardized his travel plans to Washington, Santos allegedly bought contracts saying he wouldn’t attend the event.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
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
In written testimony submitted to the court, a programs officer with HUD said that fully-executed contracts and the committed funds would not be jeopardized by LAHSA’s suspension.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 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
It was a bit of a shock, then, when Fang jeopardized our fragile flight pattern by leaning forward and slapping a picture against my left cheek.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
The banking industry’s advocates argued that arrangements like Coinbase’s could lead to a massive deposit flight, jeopardizing their ability to lend and keep the economy humming.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
“That meant the plan had to support a front-loaded retirement lifestyle without jeopardizing the younger spouse’s long-term security,” said Huey.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
The entire Crace clan is resisting Susan’s nosing about, imperiling the brand and jeopardizing the Netflix deal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Armin asked The Times not to fully identify for fear of jeopardizing his immigration case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 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.
