jeopardy

noun

jeop·​ar·​dy ˈje-pər-dē How to pronounce jeopardy (audio)
1
: exposure to or imminence of loss or injury : danger
placing their lives in jeopardy
workers in jeopardy of losing their jobs
2
law : the danger that an accused person is subjected to when on trial for a criminal offense

Did you know?

We'll start with the answer and you provide the question: A word meaning "danger" that inspired the title of a popular game show. Got it? If you buzzed in "what is jeopardy?" you are correct! Today’s word dates back to at least the 1300s, but its Middle English form can make it hard to spot: it appears in the phrase "in jupartie" with a meaning very much akin to the word's meaning in the modern phrase "in jeopardy"—that is, "in danger." The spellings of what we now render only as jeopardy were formerly myriad. The Oxford English Dictionary reports that between the late 14th and mid-17th centuries the word was spelled in a great variety of ways, among them ieupardyes (the spelling Chaucer used in The Canterbury Tales), iupertie, iupartye, ieoperdis, and juperti. Indeed, like the eponymous quiz show Jeopardy!, today’s word has a long history; we’d wager it has a long future, too.

Examples of jeopardy in a Sentence

the city's firefighters routinely put their lives in jeopardy by executing daring rescues
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Missouri, redistricting threatens to put Cleaver’s Kansas City-area district in the most jeopardy. Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025 The Martinez saga reigniting, however, feels indicative of Villa’s summer of jeopardy. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025 Clock is ticking Unless the team on the field profoundly collapses this season, Riley probably isn’t in serious jeopardy. Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025 The second of those flybys will occur this Sunday, when JUICE buzzes by Venus — but a communications glitch last month put the preparations for that encounter into jeopardy when the probe unexpectedly went dark. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jeopardy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English jeopardie, from Anglo-French juparti, jeuparti alternative, literally, divided game

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jeopardy was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Jeopardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeopardy. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

jeopardy

noun
jeop·​ar·​dy ˈjep-ərd-ē How to pronounce jeopardy (audio)

Legal Definition

jeopardy

noun
jeop·​ar·​dy ˈje-pər-dē How to pronounce jeopardy (audio)
1
: exposure to or imminence of death, loss, or injury
2
: the danger of conviction that an accused person is subjected to when on trial for a criminal offense see also double jeopardy

Note: Jeopardy attaches, or comes into effect for double jeopardy purposes, when a jury is sworn in or, in a non-jury trial, when the judge begins to hear evidence. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbids double jeopardy for the same offense, and this applies whether the first trial ends in acquittal, conviction, or a mistrial. If a mistrial occurs due to a manifest necessity or if a defendant appeals a conviction, however, the rule against double jeopardy does not apply. The issue of manifest necessity is determined by the trial judge and, if necessary, by an appeals court.

More from Merriam-Webster on jeopardy

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