jeopardize
B2Formal
Definition
Meaning
To put something valuable, important, or someone's safety at risk of being lost, harmed, or damaged.
To imperil, endanger, or compromise the existence, success, or integrity of something. It implies a threat of serious negative consequence.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used in serious contexts to describe actions that threaten something significant (e.g., a career, a mission, a relationship, a legal position). Carries a sense of culpability or negligence on the part of the agent.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The British English spelling is 'jeopardise'. The word 'jeopardize' is less common historically in UK English but is now widely understood and used, influenced by US media. 'Endanger' is a more frequent synonym in UK speech.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties: serious, formal, and negative.
Frequency
More frequent in American English (particularly in legal, business, and political discourse). In UK English, 'put at risk', 'endanger', or 'threaten' are sometimes preferred in less formal contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + jeopardize + ObjectSubject + jeopardize + Possessive Pronoun + Object (e.g., jeopardize my position)Subject + jeopardize + Object + Prepositional Phrase (e.g., jeopardize chances of success)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “play with fire (related concept)”
- “tempt fate (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used frequently to warn against actions that could harm profits, a deal, or a company's reputation. 'The leaked memo could jeopardize the merger talks.'
Academic
Common in social sciences, law, and medicine to discuss risks to policies, legal standing, or public health. 'The study's methodological flaws jeopardize its conclusions.'
Everyday
Used in serious personal contexts (relationships, health). 'Staying up so late will jeopardize your recovery.'
Technical
In engineering/safety contexts, synonymous with 'compromise'. 'A single faulty valve could jeopardize the entire system.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Revealing your source might jeopardise the entire investigation.
- The striker's injury jeopardises our chances in the cup final.
- He didn't want to jeopardise his standing with the committee.
American English
- Lying on your resume could jeopardize your career.
- The budget cuts jeopardize the school's music program.
- They refused to jeopardize the mission for one person.
adverb
British English
- He acted jeopardisingly. (EXTREMELY RARE/NON-STANDARD)
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The situation was highly jeopardous. (RARE/ARCHAIC)
American English
- The jeopardous nature of the venture was clear. (RARE/ARCHAIC)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Smoking can jeopardize your health.
- Being late often could jeopardize your new job.
- The bad weather jeopardized our picnic plans.
- The witness's sudden silence jeopardized the prosecution's case.
- She knew that speaking out might jeopardize her friendship with him.
- The minister's indiscreet comments inadvertently jeopardized the delicate peace negotiations.
- Any failure to comply with the regulations would seriously jeopardize our accreditation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'jeopardy' on a game show – you risk losing what you've gained. To 'jeopardize' is to create that risky situation for something real.
Conceptual Metaphor
SECURITY IS A FOUNDATION / RISK IS A PRECIPICE. Jeopardizing is depicted as undermining that foundation or pushing something toward the edge.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'рисковать' (to take a risk oneself). 'Jeopardize' is transitive: you jeopardize *something else*.
- Avoid using 'подвергать опасности' in overly literal translations where 'endanger' or 'put at risk' is more natural in English.
- Not a direct equivalent of 'угрожать' (to threaten), which focuses on the intent, while 'jeopardize' focuses on the resulting state of risk.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He didn't want to jeopardize.' (Missing object) Correct: 'He didn't want to jeopardize his job.'
- Incorrect: 'She jeopardized to lose her license.' (Incorrect infinitive) Correct: 'She jeopardized her license.' or 'She risked losing her license.'
- Spelling: Using 'z' in UK contexts is acceptable but 's' is standard.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'jeopardize' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct. 'Jeopardize' is standard American English spelling. 'Jeopardise' is standard British English spelling.
'Risk' can be transitive or intransitive and can be neutral. 'Jeopardize' is always transitive and carries a stronger, more negative connotation, implying a valued thing is put in serious danger.
No, it is exclusively negative. It describes creating a risk of loss or harm, never a chance of gain.
It is exclusively a transitive verb. It requires a direct object.