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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Outside of Waymos, there also have been concerns about other autonomous vehicles taking their passengers into peril. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Even as Anthropic ostensibly pleads for guardrails because of AI’s peril, national security anxieties will override any caution – becauseof that same potential power. — Michael Serazio, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 Over time, there has been a wealth of investigative journalism making plain that the security establishment ignored clear warnings of peril from mid-level intelligence officers and other sources. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2026 One of the best ways to stay private and protect yourself from the internet's many perils is a VPN. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for peril

Recent Examples of Synonyms for peril

Noun

That family history does bring with it a high level of determination to continue despite the losses and the constant threats of more attacks.

— Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
Neighbors say deer could potentially be impaled, and there’s also the threat of raw sewage backing up into adjacent houses.

— Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of threat

Noun

Al Hassan describes a doctor’s appointment where the doctor can review the patient’s history and risk information before deciding on treatment.

— Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
The city-state had tightened its policy in back to back in April and July, citing inflation risks due to higher energy prices.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of risk

Verb

After he was released from the hospital, 22-year-old Nicholas James Stedeford-Aaron was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, reckless driving to endanger and failure to move over for emergency vehicles with injury.

— Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026
One key objection was the mature tone of the narrative, in which the child protagonist is directly confronted and endangered by the evils derived from fascist ideologies.

— Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of endanger

Noun

The drama mixes battlefield action with a tale of conflicted allegiances and the dangers of undercover work in hostile territory.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
However, the medals, photographs and awards hung in the hall tell an extraordinary story of a life spent never far from danger in the mountains.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of danger

Noun

The Chase Around the World does just that, taking a tried-and-tested, colossally successful format and an additional bit of jeopardy, with firm potential for international sales.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
However, even following last week’s news, there have still been obstacles to overcome — issues that appeared to have thrown the bout into jeopardy.

— Tom Burrows, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of jeopardy

Verb

The film has been praised as a dreamy exploration of the lines between justice and exploitation, even as its real-life subject Hansen has threatened action against the studio.

— Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
Racketeers blackmailed companies and executives, threatened to disrupt shareholder meetings, or intimidated other shareholders to keep quiet.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of threaten

Noun

According to a new Guardian poll, 95 percent of Americans think that the United States is in the midst of an affordability crisis with many reporting trouble affording necessities like gas and groceries.

— Lorie Konish, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Bell is the latest celebrity to speak out about troubles obtaining SAG-AFTRA health insurance.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of trouble

Browse Nearby Words

periapts

peril

periled

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Peril.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peril. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of peril

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

syncretic

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes