imperil

verb

im·per·il im-ˈper-əl

-ˈpe-rəl

imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling

Synonyms of imperil

transitive verb

: to bring into peril : endanger

a reckless act that imperiled us all

a list of imperiled species

imperilment

im-ˈper-əl-mənt

-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.

In response, some farmers trimmed their fertilizer use, potentially imperiling next year’s harvests. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 The two sides were also in touch on monitoring a barrier lake that risks flooding and imperiling rescue workers. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 Dodgers fans should be worried since a sale could shatter baseball’s richest operation, imperil Andrew Friedman’s future with the team and force Shohei Ohtani to seek a new contract. — Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 The dropping water levels could imperil Lake Powell's ability to generate electricity, and federal officials have been pulling water out of smaller reservoirs upstream to help buy time. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 21 Aug. 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

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Imperil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperil. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

imperil

verb

im·per·il im-ˈper-əl

imperiled or imperilled; imperiling or imperilling

: to place in great danger : endanger

imperilment

-əl-mənt

noun

imperil

verb

Synonyms of imperil

Examples of imperil in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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imperil

verb

Synonyms of imperil

Examples of imperil in a Sentence

Word History

Rhymes for imperil

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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