What does jeopardizing mean?
Jeopardizing means putting something valuable or important at risk. It describes an action or development that could cause harm, loss, failure, or destruction, especially to a plan, institution, relationship, achievement, or natural environment. The word is commonly used in reporting and formal discussion, as in “jeopardizing public safety” or “jeopardizing the peace process,” and it often suggests that the danger is serious or preventable. Its wording conveys more than a minor inconvenience: something valuable is being placed in jeopardy, meaning exposed to possible harm. The form is especially common in North American English, while British usage generally prefers the spelling “jeopardising.” It is useful when describing consequences without claiming that harm has already occurred, although the choice can imply that the risk is substantial and that action may be needed to prevent it.
verb (present participle)Putting something at risk of harm, loss, failure, or destruction.
- Putting a person, thing, plan, or outcome at risk of harm, loss, failure, or destruction.
"The new policy is jeopardizing years of careful conservation work."
"Repeated delays are jeopardizing the launch of the entire project."
"She warned that sharing unverified information could be jeopardizing national security."
One careless decision can be jeopardizing everything you spent years building.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jeopardizing come from?
The verb belongs to the English family of “jeopardy,” which came through Middle English from Old French jeu de paume, a term associated with a game played with the palm and later with tennis. The French expression contributed to English senses involving a game, contest, and ultimately danger or risk. The English verb was formed with the suffix -ize, so that “jeopardize” means to expose something to danger or to make it liable to loss or failure.
Related word forms
How jeopardizing is actually used
The -izing spelling is standard in North American English; British English more commonly uses -ising. The word is formal and is often used when discussing plans, institutions, safety, peace, or the environment.
Easily confused with jeopardizing
“Jeopardizing” describes an action that endangers something, whereas “jeopardous” is an adjective meaning full of danger or risk.