3 syllables: jeop, ard, y. Stress on jeop.
/ˈdʒɛpɚdi/
Say it backJeopardy refers to exposure to danger or risk, or to a situation in which one stands to lose something valuable. In modern usage, it can describe a perilous circumstance, a game show's name that implies risk and reward, or a sense of vulnerability. The term emphasizes imminent threat, often with high stakes and potential loss.
"The hikers were in jeopardy after the rockslide trapped them in the canyon."
"His career was in jeopardy following the scandal."
"The project faced jeopardy if funding was not approved."
Pronounce as /ˈdʒepərdi/ in US and UK alike. Place primary stress on the first syllable: JEP-ər-dy, with the middle syllable pronounced like "per" in "purr" and the final -dy sounding like "dee". In careful speech, you can realize the vowel in the second syllable as a schwa /ə/. IPA guide: US/UK: /ˈdʒepərdi/. You’ll hear the Y sound as a light "ee" at the end in some variants. For audio reference, mimic clear enunciation from reputable dictionaries or pronunciation resources, then adapt to your own rhythm."
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (placing emphasis on -per- or -dy), pronouncing the final -dy as /di/ instead of a reduced /di/ or /di/ with a lighter ball of air, and mispronouncing the initial /dʒ/ as /j/ or /tʃ/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈdʒe/; pronounce the final as /di/ with a quick, light ending; ensure the middle is a short /ər/ with a relaxed schwa. Practice with minimal pairs: jeopardy vs. jeep-although; focus on clean onset and a clipped final.
In US and UK, the word is typically /ˈdʒepərdi/, with two vowels in quick succession and a rhotic tasting /r/ in American speech; UK often loses the rhoticity before a consonant, yielding /ˈdʒepədi/ or /ˈdʒepədɪ/. Australian pronunciation tends toward /ˈdʒepədi/ with a smoother vowel, less rhotic r and more centralized vowel in the second syllable. Overall, US rhotics and vowel quality in the second syllable differ slightly; UK often reduces the /ər/ to /ə/ while AU keeps a slightly higher vowel and less conspicuous degree of r-coloring in the second syllable."
The difficulty lies in balancing the short, clipped onset /dʒ/ with a mid-central /ə/ in the second syllable and the final unstressed /i/ often reduced; the stomping of two syllables quickly can cause mis-stressed syllables or a gulp in the /ər/ portion. Learners often misplace the primary stress, substitute /dʒ/ with /j/ or mispronounce the middle /ər/ as a full /ər/ or /əːr/. Focus on the two short vowels and a crisp briefing of the -di ending, training to maintain a compact, two-stress syllable flow."
Does the word require a visible breath or silent breathing between syllables to maintain the quick, two-stressed rhythm? In careful speech, you’ll breathe minimally between /ˈdʒep/ and /ər/ to maintain clarity, but avoid a full pause. The key is a light, quick breath, keeping the /ˈdʒep/ intact and the /ər/ and /di/ segments connected. This keeps the cadence natural while preventing a drawn-out second syllable that disrupts the rhythm.
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Jeopardy comes from Old French jeopardie, from jeoparder ‘to endanger,’ which itself derives from the Vulgar Latin jeopardāre, from the Old French jeoparder. The root jeopard- traces to Latin jecur meaning ‘liver,’ a person’s vital organ historically thought to reveal feelings and fate. In medieval usages, jeopardie referred to danger or risk, later extending to legal and game contexts. By the 14th–15th centuries, English adopted jeopardy to mean exposure to risk, danger, or loss. The modern sense of risk of harm or loss aligns with the word’s core sense of vulnerability. In the 20th century, “Jeopardy!” Became familiar worldwide as the title/brand of a quiz show, reinforcing the connotation of high stakes. Across centuries, the word retained its core definition while broadening to abstract risk (jeopardy of reputation, legal jeopardy, monetary jeopardy). The etymology highlights a shift from concrete bodily peril to figurative peril across contexts, maintaining the sense of exposure and potential loss that lies at the heart of the term.
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Words that rhyme with "jeopardy"
-ady sounds
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