jeopardize
verb
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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.
Synonyms
Examples of jeopardize in a Sentence
Kate Marijolovic, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2024
The Pentagon’s push for an exemption is provoking a fresh showdown with Congress that defense officials warn could jeopardize national security if not resolved.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 3 July 2024
However, Silva said doing so can delete valuable data and evidence, and jeopardize any potential investigation.
—Alison Cross, Hartford Courant, 2 July 2024
But behind the scenes, the party is scrambling to determine whether mounting anxieties about Biden's age jeopardizes their ability to win the White House in the election this fall.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for jeopardize 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jeopardize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Jeopardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeopardize. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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