imperiled 1 of 2

adjective

variants or imperilled
as in endangered

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imperiled

2 of 2

verb

variants or imperilled
past tense of imperil
as in threatened
to place in danger a single mistake could imperil the lives of everyone involved in the military operation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of imperiled
Adjective
Nearly 40% of Mount Pinos, lodgepole chipmunk, an imperiled subspecies of the lodgepole chipmunk, also live in roadless areas in California. — Mariah Meek, The Conversation, 15 June 2026 There are many issues in the last year that show the commission needs a change at the top, including the Florida black bear hunt and the recent failure of the commissioners to fully, completely and finally stop the capture of wild imperiled and threatened marine life for exhibit. — Joe Murphy, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 May 2026 At the time of publication, the ship is sailing on a three- to four-day journey that began the evening of May 6 from Cape Verde to the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities have agreed to assist the imperiled vessel. — ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026 But despite a lot of talk about the imperiled future of moviegoing, future moviegoers — kids — are turning out in droves. — ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026 Birders in India reported several imperiled species such as the Andaman Serpent Eagle. — Kate Wong, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026 For the imperiled sea mammals of British Columbia, a Defender 130 truly changes the game. — Ted Alvarez, Outside, 15 Jan. 2026 Alicia Kennedy considers the past and (imperiled) present of the foodie. — Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025 The new ratings also show a more imperiled reelection bid for two Republicans who had previously represented more safely red regions. — Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
Budget cuts imperiled one US mission to Venus and delayed the other, then forced NASA to pull out of a partnership with Europe to supply a key part for Envision. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026 BikePGH shared a video of a cyclist imperiled while getting around a FedEx truck parked in a bike lane, and the organization said the surveillance cameras have made their life safer. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 But that institutional exceptionalism is now imperiled as never before. — Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 24 Sep. 2026 All three museums have major exhibitions opening in early October; whether these are imperiled remains to be seen. — News Desk, Artforum, 16 Sep. 2026 Independent media, already imperiled due to the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent, was all but outlawed. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 Many more were imperiled by muddy water racing through the narrow ravines, sparking frantic rescue missions for dozens. — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026 The Trust, supported by a 1 percent food-and-beverage restaurant tax, used it as a quarantine site for homeless elders imperiled by COVID. — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 The setback imperiled plans to seek regulatory approval for the drug, Duravyu, and caused its stock price to plummet. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperiled
  1. endangered
  2. threatened
Adjective
  • In 2011, former President Barack Obama signed a law removing wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains from the endangered species list, a change that removed federal prohibitions on killing or harassing them in that region.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The exact location of the remaining wild grove in Australia is kept secret to help protect the endangered species.
    — Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of endangered
Verb
  • Hill then took the baby to the balcony of the condo, which is on the 35th floor, and threatened to leave.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In 2025, Newsom threatened to veto the state’s budget if lawmakers didn’t pass the two CEQA reform bills.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of threatened

Browse Nearby Words

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imperiled
imperiling
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Cite this Entry

“Imperiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperiled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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