as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
window washing can indeed be a parlous occupation on a skyscraper
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of parlous
Trump and his advisers seem to believe that, despite the country’s allegedly parlous condition, unilateral action on Washington’s part can still force others to capitulate and submit to American terms.
—
Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Read More: Where Pope Leo Stands on Specific Issues
Pope Leo also faces challenges of a more practical nature, such as the Vatican’s parlous financial state and its diplomatic ties.
—Aryn Baker, Time, 9 May 2025
Its economic position is parlous, its demographic situation is miserable and its military capacities have atrophied, and most of the chest-thumping about a revival of European power is empty talk and fantasy politics.
—Ross Douthat, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
Such parlous conditions have turned Syrian campuses into hotbeds of corruption and scientific fraud.
—Byrichard Stone, science.org, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Read More: Where Pope Leo Stands on Specific Issues
Pope Leo also faces challenges of a more practical nature, such as the Vatican’s parlous financial state and its diplomatic ties.
—Aryn Baker, Time, 9 May 2025
Its economic position is parlous, its demographic situation is miserable and its military capacities have atrophied, and most of the chest-thumping about a revival of European power is empty talk and fantasy politics.
—Ross Douthat, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
Such parlous conditions have turned Syrian campuses into hotbeds of corruption and scientific fraud.
—Byrichard Stone, science.org, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlous
Adjective
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Whatever happens in their final qualifier, against Argentina on Tuesday, La Tri will travel to the World Cup next summer as one of South America’s most dangerous teams.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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To dissidents, she has been seen as a hero putting her life on the line; to Modi’s supporters, as a dangerous subversive who is anti-national and anti-Hindu.—
Anderson Tepper,
The Atlantic,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Try dropping these items at a local hazardous waste disposal site.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Sep. 2025
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Longshore currents can sweep swimmers and surfers into rip currents, piers, jetties, and other hazardous areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
If the story itself was perilous, so was the shoot.—
Andy Hazel,
IndieWire,
8 Sep. 2025
-
And the Orizzonti jury prize was handed to Japanese director Akio Fujimoto for his drama Lost Land, the story of two Rohingya child refugees on a perilous journey to reach Malaysia.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The new vaccines have only been approved for people 65 or older and young people who have other health issues that would make getting COVID especially risky.—
September 11,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
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However, these projections assume the industry can overcome its computational bottlenecks—a risky bet if compute architectures remain tethered to the past.—
Lee-Lean Shu,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Thankfully, the most recent accident was less serious, and Sabrina and their unborn child were ultimately okay.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Between them, Sinner and Alcaraz have dispatched their only serious rival in three straight majors, largely making every other match at these tournaments feel almost immaterial.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Target Fulfillment Strategy Focuses on Strengthening In-Store Experience In a world that has gone largely online, Target’s move is an effort to redefine the often precarious balance that all retailers must seek between digital and in-store customer experience.—
Dan Gingiss,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cybercriminals are capitalizing on America's precarious labor market, with jobseekers being taken advantage of in record numbers in 2025.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Parlous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlous. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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