as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
window washing can indeed be a parlous occupation on a skyscraper
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Recent Examples of parlous
Reflecting wider financial market nerves around the parlous state of French politics, the yield on France’s 30-year bond yield rose above 4.5% on Tuesday — hitting a level last seen in 2008 — before lightly easing to to 4.48% on Wednesday.
—
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
Put more directly, the idea of taking a nap in the Royal Box within arm’s length of the Queen during a Wimbledon match seems a parlous choice of lollygagging terrain.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
Put more directly, the idea of taking a nap in the Royal Box within arm’s length of the Queen during a Wimbledon match seems a parlous choice of lollygagging terrain.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlous
Adjective
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Standard sensors like cameras and lidar often fail in heavy rain, thick fog, or low light, creating dangerous blind spots.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
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But, even a light glaze can be highly dangerous when driving.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Large equipment can be hazardous to operate safely, and a large stump can outmatch a large skid steer.—
Daniel Scott,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
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Several people wearing hazardous materials gear walking into a home in Irvine where FBI officials are investigating suspicious materials that were found at a home laboratory.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As one of South Africa’s most daring new voices, Meekaeel Adam makes his directorial debut in this gripping story, set in 1846, of a Dutch-Afrikaans family and their British benefactor who make the perilous journey across the Kalahari Desert, watched over by two shapeshifting spirits.—
Thinus Ferreira,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
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Raffensperger’s departure comes as FanDuel and parent Flutter try to bounce back from a perilous period.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What enables someone to engage in this type of physically risky – even life-threatening – behavior?—
Catherine A. Sanderson,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
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Stock market volatility now makes traditional investing risky and unpredictable.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Judges, rather than legislators or business leaders, are making serious efforts to address the implications of artificial intelligence for society, as demonstrated by recent federal court rulings on copyright and attorney-client privilege.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Bottega Veneta’s Maxi Veneta bag and those impossible-to-find Jacquemus x Nike Moon shoes give it serious street style cred—reminding us to always incorporate statement accessories amongst everyday essentials.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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With precarious Uranus in your sign and Venus in your 11th House of Associations, their sextile emphasizes the way identity shifts affect your allies.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
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Whispers in May embodies the courageous vision of a woman director in China, where making independent documentary films is a precarious endeavor.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Parlous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlous. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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