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
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.
The young boy embarks on a perilous journey deep into the mountains to confront the spirit and prevent the destruction of his village. —Patrick Frater, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024 In a city dotted with rubble and flames, the journey home is perilous. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024 But Blitz doesn’t have the narrative propulsion of Dickens, skipping its young protagonist from perilous situation to perilous situation. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024 Teen convinces Agatha to take him on the Witches' Road, a perilous journey that promises a witch their deepest desire at its end after a number of trials and challenges. —Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for perilous 

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 22 Nov. 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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