# endangerment

/ɛnˈdeɪndʒɝmənt/ (US) · /ɛndˈeɪndʒəmənt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/endangerment
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

danger you cause to another person by doing something risky or careless, especially when the law treats it as a crime.

For teachers: exposure of a person to risk of harm through reckless or negligent conduct, often prosecuted as a criminal offence.

## Examples

- Drunk driving puts children at risk of endangerment.
- The driver faces a charge of reckless endangerment after leaving a toddler alone in a hot car.
- Prosecutors argued that the company's decision to ignore safety warnings constituted criminal endangerment of workers in the chemical plant.

## Usage notes

- Commonly appears in fixed legal phrases such as 'reckless endangerment' and 'child endangerment'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.