jeopardize
verb
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.
Examples of jeopardize in a Sentence
Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
These shortcomings can jeopardize lucrative exit opportunities, audit approvals or investment rounds.
—Guy Yehiav, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
When Sandra, a domestic-abuse survivor, manages to escape her controlling husband with her two young daughters, a housing shortage jeopardizes their future in Phyllida Lloyd’s heart-wrenching saga.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 May 2025
In San Diego jails, decisions that affect mentally ill people are regularly made by command staff rather than healthcare professionals — a practice that can jeopardize the well-being of people behind bars.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for jeopardize
Cite this Entry
“Jeopardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeopardize. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share