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 In the 1950s and 1960s, F1 was perilous, with multiple driver deaths each season. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025 Even to reach them, aid workers walked for hours on perilous roads on steep mountainsides. NPR, 14 Oct. 2025 Tom Werner | Getty Investors shifted their 401(k) plan allocations away from stocks to bonds and cash in September, according to an analysis by Alight, a retirement plan administrator — a behavior that could be financially perilous, depending on their rationale. Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 These currents vary in speed and can swiftly become perilous for anyone venturing into the surf. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perilous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perilous
Adjective
  • Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli is charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft, according to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
    Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
  • This connection would become increasingly important over the twentieth century, as the rapid development of technological infrastructure created ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous sensitivities to geomagnetic storms.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Heavy snow and strong winds could impact major routes, isolate higher-elevation communities, and create hazardous conditions for early-season recreation.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Use your low beam headlights, slow down, and be prepared for periods of hazardous driving conditions.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Moving fast without solid data can be just as risky as moving too slowly, Gallucci said.
    Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Yet, an annual ranking of global markets still ranks Miami as the riskiest in the world.
    Tom Hudson, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Rule out any more serious conditions.
    RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Springsteen has been open over the years about navigating depression, which began to get serious during his early 30s.
    Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perilous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perilous. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on perilous

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