jeopardy

noun

jeop·ar·dy | \ ˈje-pər-dē

Definition of jeopardy

1 : exposure to or imminence of death, 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

Synonyms & Antonyms Did you know? More Example Sentences Phrases Containing jeopardy Learn More About jeopardy

Did you know?

Geoffrey Chaucer employed the word jeopardy in his late 14th-century masterpiece, The Canterbury Tales, 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 iuperti, yoberte, iepardye, ieoberye, and jobardy.

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 Jones -- who was in the courtroom briefly Friday but not there for the verdict -- still faces two other defamation lawsuits from Sandy Hook families in Texas and Connecticut that put his personal wealth and media empire in jeopardy. — Arkansas Online, 6 Aug. 2022 Jones — who was in the courtroom briefly Friday but not there for the verdict — still faces two other defamation lawsuits from Sandy Hook families in Texas and Connecticut that put his personal wealth and media empire in jeopardy. — Jim Vertuno, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2022 Jones — who was in the courtroom briefly Friday but not there for the verdict — still faces two other defamation lawsuits from Sandy Hook families in Texas and Connecticut that put his personal wealth and media empire in jeopardy. — Jim Vertuno, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Aug. 2022 Jones still faces two other defamation lawsuits from Sandy Hook families in Texas and Connecticut that put his personal wealth and media empire in jeopardy. — Jim Vertuno, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Aug. 2022 Jones still faces two other defamation lawsuits from Sandy Hook families in Texas and Connecticut that put his personal wealth and media empire in jeopardy. — Jim Vertuno, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2022 Jones still faces two other defamation lawsuits from Sandy Hook families in Texas and Connecticut that put his personal wealth and media empire in jeopardy. — Jim Vertuno, ajc, 5 Aug. 2022 Jones — who was in the courtroom briefly Friday but not there for the verdict — still faces two other defamation lawsuits from Sandy Hook families in Texas and Connecticut that put his personal wealth and media empire in jeopardy. — Jim Vertuno, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2022 Rumors have now spread that many, many more projects are in jeopardy, like the upcoming Supergirl movie which was meant to share a lot of actors with Batgirl, but fans are also worried about projects like Blue Beetle and Black Canary. — Paul Tassi, Forbes, 4 Aug. 2022 See More

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

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Dictionary Entries Near jeopardy

jeopardous

jeopardy

jequirity

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Last Updated

10 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Jeopardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeopardy. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for jeopardy

jeopardy

noun

jeop·ar·dy | \ ˈje-pər-dē

Kids Definition of jeopardy

: danger sense 1 The wrong choice could put your future in jeopardy.

jeopardy

noun

jeop·ar·dy | \ ˈje-pər-dē

Legal Definition of jeopardy

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.