DANGEROUS Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'dangerous' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of dangerous are hazardous , perilous , precarious , and risky . While all these words 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

Q: When could 'hazardous' be used to replace 'dangerous'?

The meanings of hazardous and dangerous largely overlap; however, hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure. // claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

Q: When can 'perilous' be used instead of 'dangerous'?

The synonyms perilous and dangerous are sometimes interchangeable, but perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger. // perilous mountain roads

Q: When might 'precarious' be a better fit than 'dangerous'?

In some situations, the words precarious and dangerous are roughly equivalent. However, precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty. // earned a precarious living by gambling

Q: When is it sensible to use 'risky' instead of 'dangerous'?

The words risky and dangerous can be used in similar contexts, but risky often applies to a known and accepted danger. // shied away from risky investments

dangerous

adjective

ˈdān-jə-rəs

Definition of dangerous

as in hazardous

involving potential loss or injury the soldiers were specially selected to go on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in harmful

causing or capable of causing harm the common knowledge that smoking is dangerous to one's health hasn't stopped some people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dangerous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of dangerous are hazardous, perilous, precarious, and risky. While all these words 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

When could hazardous be used to replace dangerous?

The meanings of hazardous and dangerous largely overlap; however, hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

When can perilous be used instead of dangerous?

The synonyms perilous and dangerous are sometimes interchangeable, but perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

When might precarious be a better fit than dangerous?

In some situations, the words precarious and dangerous are roughly equivalent. However, precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

When is it sensible to use risky instead of dangerous?

The words risky and dangerous can be used in similar contexts, but 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 dangerous Cloud to ground lightning and gusty winds will create dangerous boating conditions. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Sep. 2026 News pilots tend to have plenty of experience, former pilots said, and dangerous incidents are rare. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026 During that time period, an employee at a nearby drugstore also came forward to claim that Lizzie had recently visited the shop and inquired about purchasing prussic acid, an incredibly dangerous and deadly substance. — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026 In regards to what is happening on the streets of NYC — Kaporos — thousands of young Cornish chickens are kept in the streets in crates, in hazardous and dangerous conditions. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dangerous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dangerous

Adjective

These include dynamic proton radiography, materials science, neutron scattering, and nuclear physics, all operating at a facility authorized to use hazardous materials and handle classified data.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
In regards to what is happening on the streets of NYC — Kaporos — thousands of young Cornish chickens are kept in the streets in crates, in hazardous and dangerous conditions.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of hazardous

Adjective

Unresolved issues run the gamut, from antitrust protections to chip export controls to whether existing consumer laws are sufficient to protect people from harmful AI.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
For example, California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed multiple AI bills into law, including Adam's Law, which requires AI chatbot makers to protect minors from harmful interactions.

— Lora Kolodny,Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of harmful

Adjective

Within a year of creating the plan, lawmakers were confronted by allegations the insurance industry was using it as a dumping ground for its risky policies to maximize profit.

— Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Banks or trade partners may view a transaction as simply too risky.

— Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of risky

Adjective

But more than the cost of removing mold and mildew, this bacteria can be detrimental to your health as well.

— Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
But those pressures were nonetheless, for the most part, detrimental to Dunham personally, to her artistic development, and to the inspirations that made the series so exciting at first.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of detrimental

Adjective

Analysts who have followed Saab’s relationship with Maduro have said his testimony could be particularly damaging if prosecutors call him as a witness at Maduro’s narcoterrorism trial in New York.

— Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026
The storms carry a limited damaging wind risk of up to 60 mph, officials said.

— Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of damaging

Adjective

The man was in serious but stable condition at a hospital after being shot once in the torso on the capital city's north side, Austin officials said at a news conference.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
If the issues being talked about weren’t so serious, declaring that machines are now smarter than humans, given this glaring gap between AI agents and their principals, would be a fun keynote for the next AI summit.

— Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of serious

Adjective

The ultimate distinction, Raji said, is whether an adverse finding produces consequences.

— Barbara Booth, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
Rather than fight an injunction motion — and potentially be forced to appeal an adverse ruling — Paramount chose instead to concede the issue and concentrate its trial defense.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of adverse

Browse Nearby Words

danger

dangerous

dangers

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dangerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dangerous. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dangerous

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compendious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes