jeopardy
Americannoun
-
jeopardies
plural
-
hazard or risk of or exposure to loss, harm, death, or injury.
For a moment his life was in jeopardy.
- Antonyms:
- security
-
peril or danger.
The spy was in constant jeopardy of being discovered.
- Antonyms:
- security
-
Law. the danger or hazard of being found guilty, and of consequent punishment, undergone by criminal defendants on trial.
noun
-
danger of injury, loss, death, etc; risk; peril; hazard
his health was in jeopardy
-
law danger of being convicted and punished for a criminal offence See also double jeopardy
Synonym Usage
See danger.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of jeopardy
1200–50; Middle English j ( e ) uparti, joupardi ( e ), j ( e ) upardi ( e ) < Anglo-French, Old French: literally, divided game or play, hence, uncertain chance, problem (in chess or love), equivalent to j ( e ) u play, game (< Latin jocus joke ) + parti, past participle of partir to divide; see party
Explanation
To be in jeopardy is to be in danger. Eating three plates of nachos a day may improve your chances of winning your office's nacho-eating contest; unfortunately, it could also put your health in jeopardy. Jeopardy is a state of being, so this word is almost always preceded by the preposition "in." The phrase "in jeopardy" is just one of several ways to convey that someone is in trouble. You can also try "at risk," "in danger," or — if you're into idioms — "on thin ice," "out on a limb," or "up the creek without a paddle."
Vocabulary lists containing jeopardy
The Bill of Rights
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: July 31 - August 4, 2017
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: April 22 - 27, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Scott Gillen’s decadelong plan to build an ultraexclusive Malibu enclave is in jeopardy after entities tied to the developer filed for bankruptcy amid an ongoing battle with his partner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
She said Reddington may argue that a retrial could violate Clancy's Constitutional protection against double jeopardy - a legal standard that says a person cannot be tried for the same crime twice.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
Last week, prosecutors asked Judge Sullivan to reject the motion to dismiss charges against Clancy on the grounds of double jeopardy.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
Costs are now projected to reach $126 billion with land acquisition and regulatory hurdles still putting America’s largest active infrastructure endeavor in jeopardy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
I had no idea what the word jeopardy meant, but it sounded bad.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Her second record, The Art of Loving, is brimming with memorable songs about the jeopardies and joys of falling in love.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
The difference is that guarding the nation is not just another job; it is a moral obligation involving jeopardies and commitments that cannot safely be jobbed out, in effect, on a mercenary basis.
From Time Magazine Archive
And there the sisters are placed in strange and typical Village jeopardies.
From Time Magazine Archive
Another type of response is elicited by this column when we report on the joys and jeopardies encountered by individual staff members in preparing stories.
From Time Magazine Archive
He who jeopardies his own station and character for the sake of one actually his enemy!
From The O'Donoghue Tale Of Ireland Fifty Years Ago by Charles James Lever
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
