danger

play

noun dan·ger \ˈdān-jər\

Definition of danger

1a archaic : jurisdiction You stand within his danger, do you not? — Shakespeareb obsolete : reach, range … out of the shot and danger of desire. — Shakespeare
2 obsolete : harm, damage … a sting in him that at his will he may do danger with. — Shakespeare
3 : exposure or liability to injury, pain, harm, or loss a place where children could play without danger was assured her job was not in danger
4 : a case or cause of danger the dangers of mining

See danger defined for English-language learners

See danger defined for kids

Examples of danger in a Sentence

I was unaware of the danger that lay ahead.
She was fearless in the face of danger.
The sign on the door read “Danger. Keep out.”
There's less danger that you'll lose your money if you have a wide variety of investments.
There's a danger that your apology will be taken as a sign of weakness.
The danger is that we'll become careless as the process becomes more familiar.
It's important to teach your children about the dangers of smoking.
Here is a list of possible dangers associated with the procedure.
We believe it poses a serious danger to our national security.

Recent Examples of danger from the Web

The finance industry, which contributes 7% of GDP, is in danger of decamping.

— The Economist, "A spat about seafood shows the compromises that Brexit will force", 5 July 2017
North Korea has always been a country on the danger to travel list.

— Cincinnati.com, "Ch@troom: Response for Warmbier? Not so fast", 5 July 2017
But the organization may be in danger as Republicans in Washington continue to push to defund Planned Parenthood .

— robert newhouse, Teen Vogue, "Young Thug Just Donated ALL of The Proceeds From His Latest Concert To Planned Parenthood", 30 June 2017
Many of the homes, built in the early to mid-20th century, need expensive repairs or the owner is in danger of foreclosure, which can motivate a quick sale.

— fred clasen-kelly, charlotteobserver, "‘We can’t be bought.’ Can this Charlotte neighborhood stop investors from moving in?", 30 June 2017
Illinois is locked in a political stalemate, and in danger of becoming the first U.S. state to have its debt downgraded to junk status.

— heather gillers, WSJ, "Illinois Is in Deep Trouble: What Investors Need to Know", 29 June 2017
Moffat also focused heavily on social media during the presentation, including how children can be exposed to dangers or a loss of privacy, how parents can review their children’s social media and how to delete accounts from social media sites.

— emily sorensen, Rancho Bernardo, "Cyber education class teaches parents about internet safety", 21 June 2017
Mandel scoffs at this, insisting there’s no danger of tolerance or addiction.

— rene chun, Los Angeles Magazine, "Inside the Los Angeles Clinic That Uses Ketamine to Treat Depression", 19 June 2017
But for Mr. Trump, the tactic of trying to discredit anyone who poses a danger to him has become familiar.

— scott shane and charlie savage, New York Times, "Mueller, Known for Being Above the Fray, Is Now in the Thick of It", 15 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'danger'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of danger

Middle English daunger, from Anglo-French dangier, dongier, from Vulgar Latin *dominiarium, from Latin dominium ownership

NEW!

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

danger

verb dan·ger

Definition of danger

archaic

transitive verb
: endanger

Recent Examples of danger from the Web

But the proximity to danger in Taesung is mixed with an odd sense of security.

— motoko rich, New York Times, "As North Korea Tensions Rise, Farming in the Demilitarized Zone Goes On", 20 Apr. 2017

Origin and Etymology of danger

see ¹danger

NEW!

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

DANGER Defined for English Language Learners

danger

play

noun

Definition of danger for English Language Learners

: the possibility that you will be hurt or killed
: the possibility that something unpleasant or bad will happen
: a person or thing that is likely to cause injury, pain, harm, or loss

DANGER Defined for Kids

danger

play

noun dan·ger \ˈdān-jər\

Definition of danger for Students

1 : the state of not being protected from harm or evil : peril With my cat around, the mice are in danger.
2 : something that may cause injury or harm Astronauts brave the dangers of space travel.