PERIL Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

peril 1 of 2

noun

ˈper-əl

Definition of peril

as in threat

something that may cause injury or harm life is full of unexpected perils

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in risk

the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil they were unhappy about sending their son into peril overseas

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peril

2 of 2

verb

ˈper-əl

as in to endanger

to place in danger a tribute to the men and women who, as firefighters, peril their lives daily

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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 peril

Noun

Yes, there is the expedition and the sort of peril and problems that come with that. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 Ignoring the Work Triangle Ignore the wisdom of the kitchen work triangle—in which the sink, cooktop, and refrigerator are arranged to make meal prep and cooking more efficient—at your peril. — Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 14 Oct. 2026 Dopamine Chamber sits at the intersection of peril and the pursuit of pleasure through distraction. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026 Outside of Waymos, there also have been concerns about other autonomous vehicles taking their passengers into peril. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for peril

Recent Examples of Synonyms for peril

Noun

Beyond the immediate threat to crude supplies, damage to refining infrastructure could pose a more persistent challenge to global energy markets.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Trump has repeated threats to take out power plants and other infrastructure.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of threat

Noun

The spread over Germany's 10-year Bunds peaked at more than 177 basis points a day later, amid concerns about spillover risks elsewhere in Europe.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
The album’s greatest risk is that its devotion becomes indistinguishable from its own self-importance.

— Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of risk

Verb

The Dallas Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing, endangered 13-year-old girl, who hasn't been seen in nearly a week.

— Briauna Brown, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Bright Saver is trying to get UL Solutions, the main certifier, to exempt solar kits under 360 watts, which many experts agree produce too little power to endanger the grid or overwhelm a home’s wiring.

— Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of endanger

Noun

Earlier this week, missiles fired by the Houthis struck a residential area in Taiz, killing two teenage girls and renewing attention on the dangers faced by civilians.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Gigantic Fantastic also explores the development of steroids themselves, their physiological effects, as well as other image and performance-enhancing drugs and their dangers.

— Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of danger

Noun

Deadline first revealed last month that BBC Three, the youth network that has given rise to beloved British series including Fleabag and Gavin & Stacey, was in serious jeopardy.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
Yet decisions that could contribute to anything from an individual suicide to large-scale cyberattacks and geopolitical destabilization are made without personal legal jeopardy.

— Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of jeopardy

Verb

Matthew Unglesbee, a 36-year-old resident of Quincy in southwestern Illinois, was charged with violations related to false information and hoaxes and mailing threatening communications.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
When all out-of-court options have been exhausted, and the MCA debt threatens the immediate survival of an otherwise viable business, legal reorganization is the final angle of management.

— Nathan Mor, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of threaten

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periapts

peril

periled

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Style

“Peril.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peril. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of peril

noun

verb

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