imperil

verb

im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl
imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling

transitive verb

: to bring into peril : endanger
imperilment
im-ˈper-əl-mənt How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl-
noun

Examples of imperil in a Sentence

The toxic fumes imperiled the lives of the trapped miners. The financial health of the company was imperiled by a string of bad investments. a list of imperiled species
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Violent crime is down 26% compared to last year, Bowser said, but a budget cut would imperil public safety programs. Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025 Many critics of de-extinction argue that the huge sums of money invested in the project could be better spent elsewhere — and that raising and breeding the hybrid creatures could imperil living animals used as surrogates. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025 The feds are cracking down on payments to universities, imperiling their budgets if not their existence. Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025 The downside would be that supporting that measure would imperil his supporters on the board once all 21 seats are up for reelection in 2026, while another unsuccessful campaign for a budget amendment could worsen Johnson’s credibility. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imperil

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inperiled, from in- in- entry 2 + peril peril entry 1 + -ed -ed entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imperil was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imperil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperil. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

imperil

verb
im·​per·​il im-ˈper-əl How to pronounce imperil (audio)
imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling
: to place in great danger : endanger
imperilment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on imperil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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