perilous

adjective

per·​il·​ous ˈper-ə-ləs How to pronounce perilous (audio)
ˈpe-rə-
Synonyms of perilousnext
: full of or involving peril
a perilous journey
perilously adverb
perilousness noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for perilous

dangerous, hazardous, precarious, perilous, risky mean bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury.

dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

Examples of perilous in a Sentence

a perilous journey across the mountains a perilous journey through hostile territory
Recent Examples on the Web Others spent exhausting weeks traveling by plane, boat, and bus, and on foot, through the perilous Darién Gap. —Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2024 Determined to protect his loved ones, Jake and his new K-9 partner Argos delve into a violent underbelly of crime where Jake confronts corrupt officials, uncovers a perilous drug trafficking ring and battles his own inner demons. —Alex Ritman, Variety, 18 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for perilous 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perilous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English perilous, perelous, borrowed from Anglo-French perilleus, perillous, going back to Latin perīculōsus, from perīculum "test, risk, peril entry 1" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perilous was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near perilous

perilless

perilous

perilously close to

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Perilous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perilous. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

perilous

adjective
per·​il·​ous ˈper-ə-ləs How to pronounce perilous (audio)
: full of or involving peril
perilously adverb
perilousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on perilous

Nglish: Translation of perilous for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of perilous for Arabic Speakers

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