endanger
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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endangersimple
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endangerssimple
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have endangeredperfect
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has endangeredperfect
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am endangeringprogressive
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are endangeringprogressive
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is endangeringprogressive
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have been endangeringperfect progressive
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has been endangeringperfect progressive
Past
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endangeredsimple
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had endangeredperfect
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was endangeringprogressive
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were endangeringprogressive
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had been endangeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of endanger
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at en- 1, danger
Explanation
To endanger someone is to put them in a dangerous position, or to threaten their safety. It would endanger your little brother if you encouraged him to jump off the garage roof into a pile of leaves. Texting while you drive is a good way to endanger yourself, as well as your passengers and anyone else nearby. Scientists warn that climate change will slowly begin to endanger many plant and animal species on Earth, possibly including humans. This 15th century word combines the prefix en-, "make or put in" with danger, from the Old French dangier, "power to harm."
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:
Conventional logic would suggest that Iran should avoid actions that could endanger diplomacy.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to holding those accountable who endanger the safety of our federal personnel,” First Assitant U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
The boom has caused alarm among environmentalists who fear the scramble for critical minerals -- and the precious dollars they inject into Argentina's economy -- could endanger water supplies.
From Barron's ● May 23, 2026
How on earth could AI fans who frequently claim AIs are so powerful as to potentially endanger humanity also believe the business model would continue to favor their general release?
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
“So you’re worried one of us will endanger the quest, maybe accidentally destroy the world?”
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Although it endangers his secret Traitor identity, he tries to protect Funches.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026
The judge emphasized that Dobbs focused on a right to elective abortion, while Seyb’s case “tests how far Idaho may go when a woman’s pregnancy severely endangers her health.”
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
None of this endangers the mathematical theory of relativity or the empirical science that confirms it.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026
It shows a "a dangerous desire to play with fire" that endangers stability in Germany, one government source charged.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
I will attempt to eat at the table, or read the newspaper there, but it’s so small and rickety that any wrong movement endangers the house.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
He and his team are already preparing breeding programmes for the critically endangered African white-backed vultures and endangered African grey crowned cranes.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Koalas have been officially listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory since 2022.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
Now, it seems like the killer cover letter has lost its teeth, making the document an endangered species in the job hunt, according to recruiters and talent-acquisition professionals.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
In 2024, the Biden administration added the dunes sagebrush lizard to the endangered species list after years of advocacy from environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
“Don’t mention those names on the air. I’d be afraid their lives would be endangered, and they were my friends.”
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
In each series, a large sum of money has disappeared, endangering those who know or supposedly know where it is.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
But when the salt company shuttered in 2013, the pumping that maintained the basins stopped, endangering the environment the birds have come to rely on.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
While supplements can play a vital role in enhancing our wellbeing when needed, some experts are warning we have become so eager to optimise our health, we are now at risk of endangering it.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Min Zin was detained “on suspicion of conducting espionage and endangering China’s national security” and placed under “criminal coercive measures,” Lin said, meaning that he is being investigated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
I wanted to scream, No! and leap to his rescue, but I knew it would be suicide, and I knew that I would be endangering all our lives.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
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.
