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 Their raft capsized, plunging them into a violent, raging current just upstream from its most perilous stretch. Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 The proposal comes at a turbulent time for Oakland as the city grapples with a perilous budget crisis and an ongoing leadership void. Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 5 May 2025 However, the state remains in one of the most perilous parts of the U.S. coastline for rising sea levels. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 May 2025 So Far After the duo were able to make it all the way from Jackson to Seattle without incident, the city itself quickly proves perilous. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for perilous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perilous
Adjective
  • This, in effect, frames even the movie’s unrelated, apolitical happenings as being at the mercy of this dangerous future, backed by Western powers.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 May 2025
  • Mensah and Bharadwaj take dangerous risks exploring an unknown area while Gurathin confronts Murderbot.
    Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • Other parts of the southeastern US could see hazardous weather Friday afternoon and evening.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
  • However, a small portion of them, known as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), do require close monitoring.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Not mentioned in the CIT decision—and likely riskier—is section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
    Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • With the use of additional biomarkers and prostate MRI, the diagnosis of men with prostate cancer is more precise and avoids the detection of low-risk indolent prostate cancer and rather focuses on the early detection and effective treatment of more clinically risky prostate cancer.
    Franklin D Gaylis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • Created by a Benedictine monk with a serious eye for detail, this whimsical stop features 125 tiny, handcrafted replicas of famous historic landmarks, like St. Peter’s Basilica and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, all located on the grounds of Alabama’s only Benedictine monastery, St. Bernard Abbey.
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 24 May 2025
  • Seven restaurants were closed because of serious health violations: Chuys Restaurant, 4441 River Oaks Blvd., had a score of 27 and was closed because of unsafe temperatures in the restaurant’s cold storage units.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perilous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perilous. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on perilous

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