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1. Definition + Rich Everyday Explanation
Jeopardize (verb) = to put something valuable at risk of being lost, damaged, or destroyed; to endanger something important through action or inaction.
“Jeopardize” (spelled “jeopardise” in British English) is a word with serious weight. When you jeopardize something, you’re not just creating minor problems — you’re threatening something valuable, putting it in genuine danger of being lost or ruined. The word signals high stakes.
The word comes from “jeopardy” — a state of danger or risk. When something is “in jeopardy,” it’s threatened. When you “jeopardize” something, you’re the one creating that threat. You’re taking an action (or failing to act) in a way that puts something important at risk.
What gets jeopardized? Almost always something valuable and hard to replace. Careers get jeopardized. Relationships get jeopardized. Health gets jeopardized. Safety gets jeopardized. Reputations get jeopardized. Peace negotiations get jeopardized. The word pairs naturally with things people care deeply about.
“Jeopardize” often appears in warnings and consequences. “Don’t jeopardize your future over this.” “His behaviour jeopardized the entire project.” “She refused to jeopardize her principles.” The word carries a sense of responsibility — someone’s choices are putting something at stake.
The word is more formal than simply saying “risk” or “endanger.” Using “jeopardize” signals that the situation is serious, the stakes are real, and the potential loss matters. It’s the vocabulary of consequential decisions.
Examples from the street:
- “One mistake could jeopardize everything we’ve worked for” → a single error might destroy all our progress and effort
- “I won’t jeopardize my career for anyone” → I refuse to put my professional future at risk for somebody else
- “The scandal jeopardized peace talks between the two countries” → the controversy endangered diplomatic negotiations
2. Most Common Patterns
- jeopardize + noun (career / relationship / health / future / safety) → put something valuable at risk
- jeopardize someone’s chances (of + gerund) → threaten someone’s opportunity
- refuse to / won’t jeopardize → decline to put something at risk
- could / might / would jeopardize → expressing potential risk
- seriously / potentially jeopardize → emphasising degree of threat
- jeopardize everything → put all progress or value at risk
3. Phrasal Verbs
Note: There are no common phrasal verbs directly containing “jeopardize” — these are related expressions about risk and danger:
- put at risk → expose something to danger or potential loss
Example: “His reckless spending put the whole company at risk.”
- throw away → waste or destroy something valuable, often carelessly
Example: “Don’t throw away your future over one night of partying.”
- mess up → ruin or damage something through mistakes
Example: “One wrong move could mess up the entire deal.”
4. Example Sentences
- His drinking problem jeopardized his marriage and his career
→ His alcohol issues put both his relationship and profession at serious risk.
- I won’t jeopardize my children’s safety for anyone
→ I refuse to put my kids in danger regardless of circumstances.
- The leaked information could seriously jeopardize national security
→ The released data might genuinely threaten the country’s protection.
- She didn’t want to jeopardize her chances of getting the promotion
→ She wished to avoid threatening her opportunity to advance at work.
- One careless comment jeopardized years of diplomatic progress
→ A single thoughtless remark endangered decades of international relations.
- Taking that shortcut could jeopardize the entire project
→ Choosing that quick route might endanger the whole undertaking.
- The scandal jeopardized his reputation beyond repair
→ The controversy damaged his public image so severely it couldn’t be restored.
- We can’t jeopardize client trust just to save money
→ We mustn’t risk customer confidence merely to reduce costs.
- His refusal to cooperate jeopardized the investigation
→ His unwillingness to help endangered the inquiry’s progress.
- Poor decisions early on can jeopardize your financial future
→ Bad choices at the start can threaten your long-term economic wellbeing.
5. Personal Examples
- Fear of speaking can jeopardize language learning progress — students who stay silent miss the practice that builds fluency
→ Anxiety about talking can endanger advancement in acquiring a language; learners who remain quiet lose opportunities to develop natural speaking ability.
- Skipping the basics to rush ahead often jeopardizes long-term success — a weak foundation makes advanced learning much harder
→ Bypassing fundamentals to progress quickly frequently threatens lasting achievement; poor groundwork makes sophisticated study considerably more difficult.
6. Register: Formal to Neutral
✔ Native usage tips
- “Don’t jeopardize your future” = the serious warning from parents, mentors, and advisors about consequential decisions
- “I won’t jeopardize…” = the firm statement of what you refuse to put at risk — sounds principled and resolute
- Spelling: “Jeopardize” (American) vs “Jeopardise” (British) — both correct
- News language: “The incident jeopardized peace talks” = standard diplomatic/political reporting vocabulary
- Legal context: “Actions that jeopardize public safety” = official language for dangerous behaviour
- Career advice: “Never jeopardize your reputation” = wisdom about protecting what takes years to build
- Relationship territory: “I won’t let anything jeopardize what we have” = romantic declaration of protection
- Business speak: “We can’t jeopardize the client relationship” = prioritising long-term partnerships over short-term gains
- TV game show: “Jeopardy!” — the famous quiz programme where the name refers to putting your winnings at risk
- Severity level: More serious than “risk” — jeopardize implies the stakes are high and the danger is real
- Responsibility implied: Using “jeopardize” often assigns blame — someone’s actions are causing the danger
✔ Similar expressions / words
- Endanger → put in danger; very similar but often used for physical safety more than abstract things
- Risk → expose to danger; more casual and versatile than jeopardize
- Threaten → pose a danger to; can imply intentional harm more than jeopardize does
