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
Photograph: Lamborghini This move from Lamborghini underlines the parlous state of luxury EVs at present, a trend WIRED has charted.
—
Jeremy White,
Wired News,
23 Feb. 2026
Declining revenues combined with soaring wage costs shifted the club’s finances into a parlous state.
—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
The increasingly parlous state of Francophone West Africa’s second-largest economy led to a credit downgrade by S&P in July which has pushed up borrowing costs.
—
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Jeremy White,
Wired News,
23 Feb. 2026
Declining revenues combined with soaring wage costs shifted the club’s finances into a parlous state.
—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
The increasingly parlous state of Francophone West Africa’s second-largest economy led to a credit downgrade by S&P in July which has pushed up borrowing costs.
—
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlous
Adjective
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Others develop dangerous fluctuations in blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms because the autonomic nervous system becomes affected.
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Sometimes, the streets appear glittering; other times, seedy and dangerous.
Adjective
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Concrete casing and tubing – used to seal and extract oil – can lose integrity, causing leaks and potential hazardous gas releases.
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Concerns about hazardous chemicals led police to suggest residents evacuate, although many declined.
Adjective
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Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is pivotal in mitigating the risk of wildfires during these perilous conditions.
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The Greek epic, which follows Odysseus on his perilous 10-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, is a foundational work in Western literature.
Adjective
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It is meant to make a major war, especially a nuclear war, too risky for the enemy to start.
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Wall Street amplified the problem by bundling risky mortgages into securities that spread losses throughout the financial system.
Adjective
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What Research Shows About Cancer in Dogs While there is no evidence that turkey tail shrinks tumors, the mushroom has drawn real scientific interest as a complementary therapy for serious illness.
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The new guidance was heavily criticized by health groups, which argued the decision could sow confusion and leave children vulnerable to serious disease.
Adjective
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But like others interviewed by the AJC, this trainee opted not to report his allegations because of his precarious employment status.
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Even Hollywood critics of the generative AI economy express sympathy for those working in this precarious field.
Cite this Entry
“Parlous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlous. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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