What does imperiled mean?
Imperiled means that someone or something has been placed in danger. It is the past tense and past participle of the formal verb imperil, and it often describes people, places, institutions, or abstract interests such as reputations and freedoms. The word carries a serious, sometimes dramatic tone: a writer may say that a storm imperiled coastal homes, that a decision imperiled an expedition, or that an accusation imperiled a politician’s career. In ordinary conversation, “endangered” or “threatened” is often more natural. Imperiled is especially associated with American spelling, while “imperilled” is common in British English. Its literary register and clear connection with the familiar noun peril make it useful for expressive descriptions of danger and vulnerability.
verbTo put someone or something in danger; to endanger. “Imperiled” is the past tense and past participle of “imperil.”
- To put in danger or expose to danger.
"The storm imperiled the homes along the coast."
"The careless decision imperiled the entire expedition."
"She refused to take risks that would imperiled her family’s safety."
Imperiled turns “peril”—danger or risk—into a dramatic verb for something placed in harm’s way.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does imperiled come from?
The word belongs to the English family based on Latin periculum, meaning “danger” or “risk.” English has the noun peril and the closely related adjective perilous, while imperil developed into a formal verb meaning “to put in danger.” The resulting form imperiled follows the standard English pattern of adding -ed to the verb, with the American spelling using one l.
Related word forms
How imperiled is actually used
This is a formal or literary verb rather than a common everyday choice. In American English, “imperiled” is standard; British English more often uses “imperilled.”
Easily confused with imperiled
“Imperiled” means endangered or put in danger, whereas “impaired” means weakened or damaged in function.
“Imperiled” refers to danger or risk, while “imprisoned” refers to confinement in prison.