jeopardize

verb

jeop·​ar·​dize ˈje-pər-ˌdīz 

jeopardized; jeopardizing

transitive verb

: to expose to danger or risk : imperil

a decision that could jeopardize her career

laws jeopardizing freedom of speech

Did you know?

Jeopardize Has a Controversial History

It may be hard to believe that jeopardize was once controversial, but in 1870 a grammarian called it "a foolish and intolerable word," a view shared by many 19th-century critics. The preferred word was jeopard, which first appeared in print in the 14th century. (The upstart jeopardize didn't arrive until the late 16th century.) In 1828, Noah Webster himself declared jeopardize to be "a modern word, used by respectable writers in America, but synonymous with jeopard, and therefore useless." Unfortunately for the champions of jeopard, jeopardize is now much more popular.

Synonyms

• adventure
• compromise
• endanger
• gamble (with)
• hazard
• imperil
• jeopard
• menace
• peril
• risk
• venture

Examples of jeopardize in a Sentence

His health has been jeopardized by poor nutrition.

don't do anything that will jeopardize your place on the advisory board

Recent Examples on the Web

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who came to power with the backing of a pro-Iran coalition, has tried to appease his anti-U.S. allies without stoking tensions with Washington or jeopardizing foreign investments in Iraq. —Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 7 June 2024

Coming down too hard — by denying degrees or leaving students with permanent arrest records — can seem too punitive a response to mostly nonviolent protests and could jeopardize the futures of the students the universities are supposed to mold into productive citizens. —Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, 4 June 2024

And in more recent years, sleep medicine researchers have also gained a greater understanding of how a lack of sleep can jeopardize mental health. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2024

His administration also said the application could jeopardize efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement, strike a deal on releasing the hostages and step up humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza. —Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

see jeopardy

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

jeopardize

verb

jeop·​ar·​dize ˈjep-ər-ˌdīz 

jeopardized; jeopardizing

: to expose to danger