imperil

verb

im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl
imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling

transitive verb

: to bring into peril : endanger
imperilment
im-ˈper-əl-mənt How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl-
noun

Examples of imperil in a Sentence

The toxic fumes imperiled the lives of the trapped miners. The financial health of the company was imperiled by a string of bad investments. a list of imperiled species
Recent Examples on the Web Two other senior administration officials said that a failure by Congress to provide the funds could imperil the commitments of allies, who have also pledged to contribute to the mission. Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 Researchers say such scenes especially imperil impressionable young people, who may overlook the legions of studies that confirm the ill effects of tobacco use. USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 Alabama embryo ruling The ruling: The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are people and someone can be held liable for destroying them, a decision that reproductive rights advocates say could imperil in vitro fertilization (IVF). Kelsey Ables, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Sitting on the front line of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant is near the brink of a disaster that could imperil the Continent, according to international monitors and Ukrainian officials. Richard Engel, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2024 Beginning in the 1980s, a wealth of studies suggested that roads were imperiling wildlife in America’s ostensibly wildest spaces. Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024 Michigan's 100% clean energy goal faces a potentially imperiling challenge from a petition that would repeal a new law giving state regulators the authority to decide where to locate large wind and solar projects. Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 23 Jan. 2024 To read straight through them would ruin your sleep, imperil your relationships, and entail trading your life for Byron’s. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Degradation of pastures and forests imperils the livelihoods of farmers. Ramachandra Guha, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'imperil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inperiled, from in- in- entry 2 + peril peril entry 1 + -ed -ed entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imperil was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near imperil

Cite this Entry

“Imperil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperil. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

imperil

verb
im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl How to pronounce imperil (audio)
imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling
: to place in great danger : endanger
imperilment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on imperil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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