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 Housing assistance for millions of families would fall into jeopardy. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Experts have speculated Trump could face issues with securing an appeals bond, given the huge amount of money at issue and companies’ potential hesitance to work with him in light of his legal jeopardy. Alison Durkee, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 An Environmental Protection Agency regulation intended to protect millions of Americans from hazardous ozone pollution now faces legal jeopardy before the Supreme Court. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 Shane Rose was stood down from competitions temporarily for wearing a mankini at an event in New South Wales earlier this month, throwing his participation at Paris 2024 into jeopardy. George Ramsay, CNN, 19 Feb. 2024 The Wolverines are now at the very bottom of the Big Ten and are in serious jeopardy of missing the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season for the first time since its 10-season drought from 1998-2008. Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press, 24 Jan. 2024 This is not the first time Crisman's Super Bowl streak has been put in jeopardy. Elizabeth Flores, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2024 But now, the crisis is threatening to upend America’s support for the war in Ukraine, throwing the centerpiece of Mr. Biden’s foreign policy into jeopardy. Erica L. Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2024 At this point, with legal concerns mounting and now a gambling accusation, Randle’s football career is in serious jeopardy. Drew Davison, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jeopardy.' 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 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

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near jeopardy

Cite this Entry

“Jeopardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeopardy. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!