jeopardy
Americannoun
plural
jeopardies-
hazard or risk of or exposure to loss, harm, death, or injury.
For a moment his life was in jeopardy.
- Antonyms:
- security
-
peril or danger.
The spy was in constant jeopardy of being discovered.
- Antonyms:
- security
-
Law. the danger or hazard of being found guilty, and of consequent punishment, undergone by criminal defendants on trial.
noun
-
danger of injury, loss, death, etc; risk; peril; hazard
his health was in jeopardy
-
law danger of being convicted and punished for a criminal offence See also double jeopardy
Related Words
See danger.
Etymology
Origin of jeopardy
1200–50; Middle English j ( e ) uparti, joupardi ( e ), j ( e ) upardi ( e ) < Anglo-French, Old French: literally, divided game or play, hence, uncertain chance, problem (in chess or love), equivalent to j ( e ) u play, game (< Latin jocus joke ) + parti, past participle of partir to divide; party
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.
German greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.5 percent in 2025, a slower pace than recent years, putting in jeopardy climate goals in Europe's biggest economy, a think tank warned Wednesday.
From Barron's
The pace of German greenhouse gas emissions cuts slowed further in 2025, putting in jeopardy climate goals in Europe's biggest economy, a think tank warned Wednesday.
From Barron's
Palmer, a spokesperson for the Department of Finance, said the only indication from Washington that California’s childcare funding could be in jeopardy was the vague 5 a.m. post Tuesday by the president on Truth Social.
From Los Angeles Times
The 2026 Welsh Senedd election will make history with an increased 96-seat Parliament, 16 new constituencies each returning six members, a system of proportional representation and the potential for real political jeopardy.
From BBC
The Sydney contest lacks a degree of jeopardy.
From BBC
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.
