imperil

verb

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

transitive verb

: to bring into peril : endanger
a reckless act that imperiled us all
a list of imperiled species
imperilment
im-ˈper-əl-mənt How to pronounce imperil (audio)
-ˈpe-rəl-
noun

Synonyms of imperil

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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.
Her husband, who works in a factory painting industrial trucks, would be penalized for such a move, imperiling future raises. — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 16 June 2026 Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s direct oversight sparked the days of crossfire and have imperiled the talks for a lasting ceasefire. — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 For the frosted flatwoods salamander, a threatened species, the change was more severe—seawater was pushed into their freshwater breeding habitats, imperiling their survival. — Jeff Vandermeer, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026 Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s direct oversight sparked the crossfire now gripping the region and have imperiled negotiations for a lasting ceasefire. — Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 28 June 2026 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

Rhymes for imperil

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Browse Nearby Words

imperial yellow
imperil
imperilment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imperil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperil. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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
-əl-mənt How to pronounce imperil (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on imperil

Nglish: Translation of imperil for Spanish Speakers

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