perilous

adjective

per·​il·​ous ˈper-ə-ləs How to pronounce perilous (audio)
ˈpe-rə-
: full of or involving peril
a perilous journey
perilously adverb
perilousness noun
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.
Large rock-face murals scattered across the desert in northern Saudi Arabia represent one of the most ambitious – and perilous – creative feats of ancient humans, with researchers arguing that the massive carvings acted as visual beacons, guiding people toward crucial water sources. New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2025 This context and backdrop adorns the film with considerable energy, various colorful personalities and smartly edited archival news footage that deepens our understanding of the perilous stakes. Tomris Laffly, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025 My hope was that exploring the past in a nuanced way might offer insight into our surprising and perilous present. Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025 The second is practically perilous, since a shutdown is guaranteed to hurt the economy — a dynamic Democrats have invoked over a long history of battling with Republicans to keep the government open. Al Weaver, The Hill, 27 Sep. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perilous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perilous. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!