jeopardize

American

[jep-er-dahyz] / ˈdʒɛp ərˌdaɪz /

especially British, jeopardise

verb (used with object)

jeopardized, jeopardizing

to put in jeopardy; hazard; risk; imperil.

He jeopardized his life every time he dived from the tower.

jeopardize British

/ ˈdʒɛpəˌdaɪz /

verb

to risk; hazard

he jeopardized his job by being persistently unpunctual
to put in danger; imperil

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

rejeopardize verb (used with object)
unjeopardized adjective

Etymology

Origin of jeopardize

First recorded in 1640–50; jeopard(y) + -ize

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.

“It threatens the livelihoods of the people who live and work here, undermines the region’s fragile ecosystems, and jeopardizes the long-term health of our state’s water infrastructure.”

From Los Angeles Times

It also jeopardizes the $1.8 billion in federal funding California has received to expand high-speed internet throughout the state.

From Los Angeles Times

Departments assume the officer’s participation in court will jeopardize outcomes, making them a liability.

From The Wall Street Journal

Discovery, Apple, Netflix and Comcast — because the companies didn’t want to jeopardize their relationships with the league, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

From Los Angeles Times

You don’t want a generous gift to jeopardize your financial security.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023