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
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jeopardizessimple
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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:
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
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
Powell warned that political interference could damage the Fed’s standing, erode public trust, and jeopardize its mission.
From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 2026
He enjoyed the relationships he had formed with the white establishment and did not want to jeopardize them with political action.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
It also jeopardizes global crop yields—gas is a vital fertilizer feedstock—and could cripple semiconductor production by slashing helium supply, a natural gas byproduct.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 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
She said her office is keeping a close watch on the situation in Shasta County, and is poised to send additional election monitors if dissent jeopardizes the vote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2024
We ought never excuse violence or tolerate behavior that jeopardizes the safety and security of others.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
In written testimony submitted to the court, a programs officer with HUD said that fully-executed contracts and the committed funds would not be jeopardized by LAHSA’s suspension.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 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
In 2023, the show went on pause for a summer while Yang took a different kind of break; exhausted from juggling simultaneous filming for Wicked and SNL, he said his mental health had become jeopardized.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
If Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ultimately rules in favor of Musk, OpenAI's IPO could be jeopardized.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
How I lied about the mission, how I jeopardized everyone in pursuit of revenge.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Here’s how to do it without jeopardizing your job.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Armin asked The Times not to fully identify for fear of jeopardizing his immigration case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 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
Unselfishly jeopardizing her professional reputation as a teacher, Aunt Anne always allowed each of us to play in the annual recitals at her music school.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
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.
