Definition of dangerousnext
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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 Take the quiz here … ROUGH WATERS — 5 dangerous cruise ports travelers should research before booking excursions. FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026 Being able to recognize these terms early can help parents identify potentially dangerous interactions and understand when someone online may be attempting to mask harmful intent. Sharlette A. Kellum, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026 Direct pressure on the eyeball [is dangerous]. Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026 Someone from there can check if your sister’s hoarding has become dangerous to her health or well-being. Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dangerous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dangerous
Adjective
  • Strong longshore currents can sweep swimmers and surfers into rip currents, piers, jetties and other hazardous areas.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
  • In the 1990s, FDOT concluded that I-395, the mile-long elevated highway built in the late 1960s to connect the new Interstate 95 and the MacArthur Causeway, was hazardous and structurally and functionally obsolete.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • This week, California regulators are taking a critical look at one of the state’s most harmful laws.
    Tom Manzo, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Awareness, not alarm, is a powerful tool for families navigating online spaces where harmful language and intent are often hidden in plain sight.
    Sharlette A. Kellum, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Even if the Bengals prefer to rely on Carter and Knight’s development, risky but not crazy, the lack of pedigree surrounding them is startling.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
  • The researchers also cautioned that all-night broadband noise may be especially risky for children, who spend significantly more time in REM sleep.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Red-eared sliders have had a detrimental impact on our native turtle populations.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Researchers are still unsure about how detrimental the blood changes could be to the sharks’ health.
    Devika Rao, TheWeek, 7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Secret churches, perilous conversions During the Palm Sunday service, the in-person audience at the nondenominational church was much smaller than on a typical Sunday, with only about a half-dozen members dotting the rows of blue chairs in front of the stage.
    Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Zendaya joins the all-star cast as Greek goddess Athena, who protects Matt Damon’s Odysseus on his perilous journey back home to his family in Ithaca.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • On April 4, a cold front heading east will bring risks of hail, heavy rain and damaging winds from Texas to southwestern New York, AccuWeather reported.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The tornadoes ranged in intensity from EF-0 to EF-3, damaging or destroying numerous homes and businesses, overturning vehicles and causing widespread power outages.
    Eric Henderson, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The driver of the oncoming car was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, and the three passengers died.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
  • The three men who were shot were taken to a hospital, with one patient in serious condition and two in critical condition, a Fire Department spokesperson said.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The most common adverse events were falls and muscle weakness, which overlap with ALS symptoms.
    Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
  • When you're stressed or angry, your cortisol levels rise, which can have adverse effects on your heart, metabolism, and immune system.
    Sharon Basaraba, Verywell Health, 3 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dangerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dangerous. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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