jeopardize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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to risk; hazard
he jeopardized his job by being persistently unpunctual
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to put in danger; imperil
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have jeopardizedperfect
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has jeopardizedperfect 3rd person singular
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is jeopardizingprogressive 3rd person singular
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jeopardizessingular 3rd person
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are jeopardizingprogressive
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jeopardizingparticiple
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am jeopardizingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been jeopardizingperfect progressive
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has been jeopardizingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had jeopardizedperfect
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had been jeopardizingperfect progressive
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were jeopardizingprogressive plural
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jeopardizedparticiple
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was jeopardizingprogressive singular
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jeopardizedsimple
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.
Higher rates can trigger default waves that might jeopardize more lenders.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
Scientists warn that increased foot traffic could jeopardize it all.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
Moody’s warns quantum computers could jeopardize global digital finance, with a breach potentially causing $2 trillion to $3 trillion in losses.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
A coalition of hotels and airline companies opposed the wage increase, arguing that it was unsustainable and would jeopardize jobs.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
She once said that Paul never let himself lose his temper when it might jeopardize PIH’s mission, but I saw tonight that he might lose it to make a mission happen.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
