jeopardize

verb

jeop·ar·dize ˈje-pər-ˌdīz

jeopardized; jeopardizing

Synonyms of jeopardize next

transitive verb

: to expose to danger or risk : imperil

a decision that could jeopardize her career

laws jeopardizing freedom of speech

Did you know?

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 didn't arrive until the late 16th century.) 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.

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 on the Web

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.

Consider the pros and cons and reduce unnecessary factors that can set you back or jeopardize your position, reputation, meaningful relationships, or emotional and physical well-being. —

Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024 To avoid a cash crunch and potentially jeopardize the ability to pay people, a marketing agency can set up a separate payroll account to which a percentage of sales can be devoted. —

Vlad Rusz, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 But not before drawing national media attention, rallying passionate activists on both sides of the issue and jeopardizing the political futures of several state justices and legislators. —

Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024 After the Labour Party rejected the accusations from Trump's campaign, several British media outlets noted that the complaint risked jeopardizing Starmer's relationship with Trump were the latter to win the presidency. —

Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jeopardize