jeopardise

jeopardise — verb

1. to cause a plan, situation, relationship, or other important thing to face the p

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to cause a plan, situation, relationship, or other important thing to face the possibility of failure, loss, or serious harm — for example, when a careless decision threatens your career or a company's reputation.

Example

Kasia knew that lying on her CV could jeopardise her chances of getting the job.

jeopardise + chances of [gerund/noun]

The peace talks were jeopardised when both sides refused to compromise.

passive: be jeopardised + by/when [circumstance]

Common collocations
  • jeopardise + chances / future / career / health / safety
  • jeopardise + reputation / relationship / friendship
  • jeopardise + project / plan / deal / agreement
  • jeopardise + peace talks / negotiations / progress
  • jeopardise + funding / investment / scholarship
Synonyms
  • endanger

    more direct; used for physical safety and tangible harm rather than plans or abstract things

  • threaten

    broadest of the group; can describe both deliberate actions and external forces

  • risk

    can be transitive or intransitive; 'risk your career' emphasises voluntary exposure to danger

  • compromise

    suggests weakening or damaging something gradually, especially standards, principles, or values

Antonyms
  • protect

    to keep something safe from harm or loss

  • safeguard

    to take active measures to prevent risk or damage

Grammar Patterns

jeopardise + noun phrase

Usage Note

Always transitive — you must state what is being jeopardised. The American English spelling is 'jeopardize'. The noun form appears in the common phrase 'in jeopardy' (e.g., 'Her career was in jeopardy.'). While 'endanger' focuses on physical safety, 'jeopardise' is more common with abstract things: plans, reputations, careers, relationships, and opportunities.

Common Mistakes

She jeopardised in the dangerous situation.
She jeopardised her safety by walking home alone at night.
'jeopardise' is always transitive; you cannot use it without an object.
The storm jeopardised the village.
The storm endangered the village.
'jeopardise' sounds unnatural with places and physical harm; use 'endanger' for direct physical threats.

Word family

  • jeopardy
    nounB2
  • jeopardising
    adjectiveC1
  • jeopardised
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe putting something in a position of potential harm, but they differ in scope and typical use. 'Jeopardise' is the most specific to plans, careers, relationships, and abstract outcomes — you jeopardise a deal, not a person. 'Endanger' leans toward physical safety (endanger lives, endanger a species). 'Threaten' is the broadest: a storm can threaten a village; a rival can threaten your position. 'Risk' emphasises voluntary exposure to danger (she risked her savings on the venture) and works intransitively (he risked it all). 'Compromise' focuses on gradual weakening of quality or integrity (compromise one's principles, compromise security). For everyday usage: if you are talking about a project, application, or opportunity being at stake, 'jeopardise' is the most precise choice.

jeopardise ↗endangerthreaten ↗risk ↗compromise ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • seriously jeopardise
  • potentially jeopardise

Phrases

  • jeopardise the outcome of
  • jeopardise someone's ability to

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

From the noun 'jeopardy', which came from Old French 'jeu parti' (literally 'divided game'), meaning a situation in which the outcome is uncertain — originally a chess term for a position with evenly-matched chances. By the 14th century it referred to any risky or dangerous situation. The verb form 'jeopardise' (or 'jeopardize') appeared in the 17th century, meaning 'to put in jeopardy'. The British spelling retains '-ise' while American English favours '-ize'.