jeopardize
Americanverb (used with object)
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
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has jeopardizedperfect
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am jeopardizingprogressive
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are jeopardizingprogressive
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is jeopardizingprogressive
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have been jeopardizingperfect progressive
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has been jeopardizingperfect progressive
Past
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jeopardizedsimple
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had jeopardizedperfect
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was jeopardizingprogressive
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were jeopardizingprogressive
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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"
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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.
See Examples For:
Many young Americans now feel that having children would jeopardize their financial stability, according to a recent Intuit Credit Karma survey.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
The union also made their initial bargaining proposal last week, the start of a long process that could jeopardize the 2027 season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 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
Residents are draining their savings for condos they can’t live in—dues haven’t been paused, because that could jeopardize a loan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
He made it clear that he was a doctor with a wide and prosperous practice that he would not jeopardize by going to prison.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Apple and Google executives told Canadian lawmakers the bill jeopardizes privacy and digital security, potentially compelling product changes for surveillance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
That narrative is poised to present Harris’ biggest challenge if she decides to run — particularly if it jeopardizes her ability to pull in crucial funding.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026
“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
“Their actions have resulted in significant losses to Levon Helm Studios and jeopardized its ability to continue operating.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 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
If Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ultimately rules in favor of Musk, OpenAI's IPO could be jeopardized.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
“In doing so, it jeopardized the safety and well-being of its students and violated the community’s trust.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2026
Then Powell made a mistake that jeopardized his mission.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
Here’s how to do it without jeopardizing your job.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Iran threatened to reimpose a blockade on Wednesday, jeopardizing 20% of global oil and LNG shipments and economic recovery.
From Barron's ● Apr. 8, 2026
The committee’s authority is limited to very uncommon circumstances in which there are no “reasonable and prudent alternatives” that would avoid jeopardizing a listed species or impair a species’ critical habitat.
From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026
“We also will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement. We urge all student-athletes to make well-informed choices to avoid jeopardizing the game and their eligibility.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 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.
