jeopardize

verb jeop·ar·dize \ ˈje-pər-ˌdīz \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Examples: jeopardize in a Sentence

Editor's Note: jeopardize Has a Controversial History

Definition of jeopardize

jeopardized; jeopardizing

transitive verb

: to expose to danger or risk : imperil

a decision that could jeopardize her career

laws jeopardizing freedom of speech

See jeopardize defined for English-language learners

See jeopardize defined for kids

jeopardize was our Word of the Day on 05/25/2016. Hear the podcast!

Examples of jeopardize in a Sentence

His health has been jeopardized by poor nutrition.
don't do anything that will jeopardize your place on the advisory board

Recent Examples of jeopardize from the Web

Also, friction between the district’s board and the Spring Hill City Council jeopardized that annual contract, threatening another revenue loss as early as next year.

— lynn horsley, kansascity, "Critics call JoCo fire district board 'an embarrassment.' Commission to take control," 8 June 2018
The Sacramento Bee and other news organizations have asked that the information be unsealed, and media attorney Duffy Carolan argued that some information can be released without jeopardizing DeAngelo's ability to receive a fair trial.

— sam stanton and darrell smith, sacbee, "Judge in East Area Rapist case expects to release some warrant details Friday," 29 May 2018
Left on the front line was Mr. Rosenstein, who appeared intent on appeasing Mr. Trump without jeopardizing the investigation.

— peter baker, New York Times, "Trump Versus Law Enforcement: A Confrontation With No Precedent," 26 May 2018
The next step is for the state to craft a proposal outlining how its initiative would save money without jeopardizing public health.

— shefali luthra, Washington Post, "Vermont Legislators Pass A Drug Importation Law. So What?," 22 May 2018
To Spark, the kind of discount Strauss was proposing could jeopardize their whole business.

— eric boodman, STAT, "Sign up for our biotech newsletter, The Readout," 8 May 2018
So as a result of this abrupt cancellation, our relationships with key sponsors and brands has been jeopardized.

— clarkisha kent, The Root, "It Be Your Own People: On Universal FanCon and the Perversion of Community," 24 Apr. 2018
While wildlife officials here insist that the 22 grizzlies slated for harvest will not jeopardize bear recovery, a wide chorus of critics condemns trophy killing.

— National Geographic, "Yellowstone-Area Grizzly Bears to Be Hunted for First Time in Decades," 24 May 2018
The next step is for the state to craft a proposal outlining how its initiative would save money without jeopardizing public health.

— shefali luthra, Scientific American, "Vermont Legislators Pass Law Allowing Drug Imports," 19 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jeopardize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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 turned up in 1582.) 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.