jeopardize
verb
Did you know?
Jeopardize Has a Controversial History
Imagine you’re a contestant on a game show, and your task is to provide a question as a response to this statement from the host: “This word was once controversial, and in 1870 a grammarian called it ‘a foolish and intolerable word,’ a view shared by many 19th-century critics.” If you answered, “What is jeopardize?,” you might be going home with some money! The preferred word back then was jeopard, which first appeared in print in the 14th century. The upstart jeopardize didn’t arrive until the late 16th century, and took a while to catch on. 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, increased usage of jeopardize ultimately put the former word in jeopardy. Jeopard is now only rarely heard.
Examples of jeopardize in a Sentence
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Legislation in Washington proposes offsetting any lost Highway Trust Fund revenue with general funds, but critics warn that could raise the federal deficit — and potentially jeopardize the long-term sustainability of infrastructure projects.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Many owners spent decades building their companies and bristle at the idea of selling to traditional private equity or a bigger company that could restructure their business, lay off employees, and jeopardize their legacy.
—Alex Amouyel, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Some of his inflammatory remarks prompted WLRN staff to send a letter to management expressing fear that the dispute could jeopardize the station’s future.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for jeopardize
Cite this Entry
“Jeopardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeopardize. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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