Make Your Point: JEOPARDIZE

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pronounce JEOPARDIZE:

Say it "JEP ur dize."

To hear it, click here.

connect this word to others:

As we check out the word jeopardize, see if you can recall a related term:

Literally "a play of spirit," a jeu d'____t is a witty comment, or a witty piece of literature.

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

Our word "jeopardy" (pronounced "JEP ur dee") comes from the French phrase jeu parti, "a divided game," which traces back to Latin words for "joke or game" and "divide or separate."

If your game is evenly divided, with nobody ahead and nobody behind, then you're in a state of risk and uncertainty, or even danger. You might win, but you're just as likely to lose.

That's why we talk about things being in jeopardy: in a state of risk, uncertainty, or danger, where it's anybody's game, so to speak.

And to jeopardize something is to put it at risk, to endanger it: to make it seem to hang in the balance, where its safety or success seems left up to chance.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Verb, the transitive kind: "The mistake jeopardized her career;" "It was a bad habit that jeopardized their friendship."

Other forms:

Jeopardy; jeopardized, jeopardizing.

Not all dictionaries recognize "jeopardization," but you can still use it.

how to use it:

Pick the common, formal word "jeopardize" when you want to call attention to how someone's choice, action, or statement is recklessly endangering something delicate or valuable of theirs--or something that they don't even have yet--as if they're treating the situation as a game.

Say that someone (or someone's action or decision) jeopardizes something.

The things that often get jeopardized include lives, jobs, opportunities, deals, relationships, reputations, and missions. Or more generally, the health, safety, sanity, security, or success of anything.

examples:

"It's a soft job for him, running little errands, doing little favors, and there's no way he'd want to jeopardize it."
— Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale, 1985

"Merida, voiced by Kelly Macdonald, is a headstrong teenager in 12th century Scotland... When she blatantly defies an ancient tradition, she jeopardizes the future of her family and the kingdom."
— Sandy Cohen, Associated Press, 23 June 2012

has this page helped you understand "jeopardize"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "jeopardize" without saying "gamble" or "put in danger."

try it out:

Fill in the blanks: "(Something dangerous, or some risky choice or action) (can or could) jeopardize (something important)."

Example 1: "Too much heat-styling can jeopardize your hair's health."

Example 2: "In 1777, smallpox was a big enough problem for the bedraggled American army that George Washington thought it could jeopardize the Revolution."
— David Leonhardt, New York Times, 30 September 2021

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is "Serious Words, Silliest Names."

Match each word to the silly name it evokes. For example, match "pecuniary" to Owen Cash, "hoodwink" to Howie Cheatham, and "debacle" to Oliver Sutton.

To see the answers, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!

Try these today:

ACQUISITIVE: _____
GLUT: _____
QUI VIVE: _____
RECRUDESCENT: _____
RIVETING: _____

B. A. Ware
Iona Lott
Paige Turner
Philip D. Bagg
Rheo Curran

review this word:

1. The opposite of JEOPARDIZING is

A. AVOIDING.
B. ENGAGING.
C. SECURING.

2. In light of both the meaning and the etymology of the word "jeopardy," the title of the game show, Jeopardy!, connotes a competition that's both _____.

A. funny and intense
B. dangerous and tight
C. entertaining and informative

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

Make Your Point > Archived Issues > JEOPARDIZE See this issue on Make Your Point, Jr. Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

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Make Your Point > Archived Issues > JEOPARDIZE

See this issue on Make Your Point, Jr.

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to "Make Your Point" for a daily vocabulary boost.

You're viewing an improved, expanded version of this issue. If you need to refer to the original version, you can find it here.