perilous

adjective

ˈper-ə-ləs How to pronounce perilous (audio)
Definition of perilousnext
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury a perilous journey through hostile territory

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word perilous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of perilous are dangerous, hazardous, precarious, and risky. While all these words mean "bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury," perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

When might dangerous be a better fit than perilous?

The words dangerous and perilous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

When is it sensible to use hazardous instead of perilous?

The synonyms hazardous and perilous are sometimes interchangeable, but hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

When can precarious be used instead of perilous?

While in some cases nearly identical to perilous, precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

When would risky be a good substitute for perilous?

In some situations, the words risky and perilous are roughly equivalent. However, risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

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 perilous Adding to the urgency is a so-far historically dry winter at a legally perilous time. —Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 13 Feb. 2026 The horror-Western follows a settler family on a perilous journey across the Kalahari Desert in the mid-1800s. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026 The surrounding seas are perilous, and traveling there is difficult even with modern boats. —K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026 Those numbers represent politically perilous territory for the GOP. —Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 9 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perilous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perilous
  1. dangerous
  2. hazardous
  3. risky
  4. serious
Adjective
  • Without reliably cold temperatures, snow is wetter and thinner, conditions are rainier — and for athletes that can be dangerous.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Luge is the most dangerous of the three sliding sports (bobsled and skeleton are the others) — ironic because athletes in that event actually have the most control.
    — Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • The study, and the training, include best practices for handling and disposing of hazardous waste, Gabriel said.
    — Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
  • At least 12 of the 169 chemicals detected in the new analysis have been associated with cancer, birth defects and reproductive issues and are included in California’s Proposition 65 hazardous chemicals list.
    — Aude Konan, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of hazardous
Adjective
  • As procedures have become more precise, recovery times shorter, and complications rarer, surgeons have grown more willing to operate in cases once considered too risky.
    — Chris Pope, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Dismissing the benefits of precious metals in this climate, then, could be both risky and counterproductive.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of risky
Adjective
  • In a statement to NBC News, Daiichi Sankyo, which makes Savaysa, said that the drug is used to reduce the risk of stroke and clots but added that anticoagulants can increase the risk of serious bleeding.
    — David Cox, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Many of these people had been charged with serious crimes like assaulting security officers or bus and train operators, weapons possession, or threatening drivers.
    — Amber Gaudet Updated February 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of serious

Browse Nearby Words

periling
perilous
perils
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Cite this Entry

“Perilous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perilous. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on perilous

Nglish: Translation of perilous for Spanish Speakers

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