imperil

verb

im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl
imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling

transitive verb

: to bring into peril : endanger
imperilment
im-ˈper-əl-mənt How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl-
noun

Examples of imperil in a Sentence

The toxic fumes imperiled the lives of the trapped miners. The financial health of the company was imperiled by a string of bad investments. a list of imperiled species
Recent Examples on the Web But all three are now leading a rebellion of their own, confronting and potentially imperiling a trophy of Trump’s post-presidential ambitions. Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 But such a robotic revolution in caregiving would succeed only by further imperiling the relationships that overstrapped and underpaid carers already struggle so much to build. Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024 More:Climate change imperils the upper Mississippi River backwaters. Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024 Direct foreign funding for artists and intellectuals in China or Hong Kong, for instance, would only imperil its recipients. Suzanne Nossel, Foreign Affairs, 29 Feb. 2024 The venue’s future is imperiled, however, as increasing land movement on the heels of a deluge of rain closed the chapel indefinitely. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024 Some analysts warn that 2024 could see things sour for both the economy and the stock market — potentially imperiling those higher 401(k) figures. Brian Cheung, NBC News, 25 Jan. 2024 Two other senior administration officials said that a failure by Congress to provide the funds could imperil the commitments of allies, who have also pledged to contribute to the mission. Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 Researchers say such scenes especially imperil impressionable young people, who may overlook the legions of studies that confirm the ill effects of tobacco use. USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'imperil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inperiled, from in- in- entry 2 + peril peril entry 1 + -ed -ed entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imperil was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near imperil

Cite this Entry

“Imperil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperil. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

imperil

verb
im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl How to pronounce imperil (audio)
imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling
: to place in great danger : endanger
imperilment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on imperil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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