Definition of imperilnext
as in to endanger
to place in danger a single mistake could imperil the lives of everyone involved in the military operation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of imperil Then the studio structured trailers and marketing around an unspecified, unspeakable disclosure by Zendaya’s character that derails the wedding plans (and imperils the characters’ romantic union) to stoke maximum curiosity. Chris Lee, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026 The last-minute impasse imperiled the likelihood of a swift end to the DHS shutdown, which has upended airport security across the country. Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026 Last June, after intense pushback on the policy’s potential to imperil hundreds of ongoing clinical trials, the NIH created another path for research involving human subjects. Megan Molteni, STAT, 27 Mar. 2026 But her third feature raises those stakes, envisioning an entire society imperiled by plague, the death toll climbing and panic spreading. Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for imperil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperil
Verb
  • While not endangered, American woodcocks have experienced a population decline in recent decades.
    ABC News, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The cameras are not used to write tickets for speeding or other traffic violations, but can help deter crime or locate missing or endangered people, officials have said.
    Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Texas hemp retailers are getting temporary relief after a judge blocked the state's new ban on smokable THC products – a rule that shop owners say threatened to wipe out large portions of their business.
    Briseida Holguin, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Then, guards who worked for the contractor Critical Response Strategies began taunting detainees, threatening to enter the cage where immigrants were held.
    Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imperil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperil. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on imperil

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster