imperil

verb

im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl 

-ˈpe-rəl

imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling

transitive verb

: to bring into peril : endanger

a reckless act that imperiled us all

a list of imperiled species

imperilment

im-ˈper-əl-mənt 

-ˈpe-rəl-

noun

Synonyms of imperil

• endanger
• threaten

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

Still, Trump’s attacks on Europe, which imperiled the transatlantic alliance, may have lasting effects, Politico wrote. —Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 22 Jan. 2026

The move imperils public interest reporting and will have ramifications far beyond this specific case. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026

Card companies say a 10% cap would imperil the ability of consumers with weaker credit to obtain credit cards. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026

The good news is despite S&P giving the company a junk credit rating, according to the Times, Strategy’s liquidity is not immediately imperiled. —Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for imperil

• carbaryl
• glyceryl
• beryl
• feral
• karel
• peril
• seral
• sterile
• sterol
• cholesteryl
• sitosterol
• tocopherol

Kids Definition

imperil

verb

im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl 

imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling

: to place in great danger : endanger

imperilment

-əl-mənt 

noun