as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
window washing can indeed be a parlous occupation on a skyscraper
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of parlous
Filling the stage with androgynous women dressed in black and making sometimes terrifying use of pure white light and heavy industrial techno, the latest interpretative dance extravaganza appeared to be a Lynchian comment on the parlous state of today’s world.
—
Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 July 2025
Trump and his advisers seem to believe that, despite the country’s allegedly parlous condition, unilateral action on Washington’s part can still force others to capitulate and submit to American terms.
—Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Read More: Where Pope Leo Stands on Specific Issues
Pope Leo also faces challenges of a more practical nature, such as the Vatican’s parlous financial state and its diplomatic ties.
—Aryn Baker, Time, 9 May 2025
Its economic position is parlous, its demographic situation is miserable and its military capacities have atrophied, and most of the chest-thumping about a revival of European power is empty talk and fantasy politics.
—Ross Douthat, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 July 2025
Trump and his advisers seem to believe that, despite the country’s allegedly parlous condition, unilateral action on Washington’s part can still force others to capitulate and submit to American terms.
—Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Read More: Where Pope Leo Stands on Specific Issues
Pope Leo also faces challenges of a more practical nature, such as the Vatican’s parlous financial state and its diplomatic ties.
—Aryn Baker, Time, 9 May 2025
Its economic position is parlous, its demographic situation is miserable and its military capacities have atrophied, and most of the chest-thumping about a revival of European power is empty talk and fantasy politics.
—Ross Douthat, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlous
Adjective
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But the succession crisis that her sudden and dangerous illness had brought to the fore would dominate the rest of her long reign.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Systems can be configured to identify signs of structural weaknesses, gas leaks, and other potentially dangerous stimuli emerging in hazardous areas and send data-rich alerts to operators suggesting a response.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The result, Kahn says, is that parts of Earth’s orbital environment are rife with hazardous objects that can collide with vital space infrastructure.—
Humberto Basilio,
Scientific American,
7 Nov. 2025
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All seven patients were cleared almost immediately and no hazardous materials turned up on base, Fox News is told.—
Jennifer Griffin , Christina Shaw,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Every year, millions of visitors flock to Florida to set sail on a perilous voyage through pirate-laden seas as passengers on Walt Disney World’s beloved Pirates of the Caribbean ride.—
Matt Alderton,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
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China's rise puts the United States in a perilous position because our biotech sector isn't just another industry.—
Sen. Todd Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The right-hander generated a ground ball to get the force out at home in an extremely close call, and the very next pitch was a risky fly out tracked down by Andy Pages (who entered the game after the bases were loaded).—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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The seedless doctrine For years, Tangem campaigned against seed phrases as risky and error-prone, arguing that paper or metal backups become a single, theft-prone secret that ordinary people routinely mishandle.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Rule out any more serious conditions.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
25 Oct. 2025
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Springsteen has been open over the years about navigating depression, which began to get serious during his early 30s.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jekalyn x The Legends arrives amid a precarious period for gospel music, especially considering five-time Grammy winner Chandler Moore’s bombshell exit from Maverick City Music and the top-selling group’s co-founder’s recent controversial comments.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
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It’s been precarious the whole time.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Parlous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlous. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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