Synonym Chooser

How is the word perilous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of perilous are dangerous, hazardous, precarious, and risky. While all these words mean "bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury," perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

When might dangerous be a better fit than perilous?

The words dangerous and perilous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

When is it sensible to use hazardous instead of perilous?

The synonyms hazardous and perilous are sometimes interchangeable, but hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

When can precarious be used instead of perilous?

While in some cases nearly identical to perilous, precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

When would risky be a good substitute for perilous?

In some situations, the words risky and perilous are roughly equivalent. However, risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

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 perilous Even to reach them, aid workers walked for hours on perilous roads on steep mountainsides. NPR, 14 Oct. 2025 Tom Werner | Getty Investors shifted their 401(k) plan allocations away from stocks to bonds and cash in September, according to an analysis by Alight, a retirement plan administrator — a behavior that could be financially perilous, depending on their rationale. Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 These currents vary in speed and can swiftly become perilous for anyone venturing into the surf. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2025 The Bleed Black will tell the story of a family’s perilous journey west to save their son a decade after colossal monsters began ravaging American cities. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perilous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perilous
Adjective
  • This means too much potassium in your blood, which can be dangerous if not treated.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The Mark is a spy flick centered on Eden (Alba), an enigmatic spy on a covert and dangerous mission.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • These alerts address hazards such as sneaker waves, rip currents, shore break, and hazardous surf—all of which can lead to serious injury or death for swimmers, surfers, and coastal visitors.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Chicken in a steam table and gyro meat on the vertical rotisserie, both potentially hazardous foods, measured at temperatures outside the range considered safe.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Some people view asking for more compensation as less risky than switching to a new job.
    Cathy Bussewitz, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • With thousands of such satellites up there, even engaging in amateur astronomy as a hobby — looking at the night sky through a telescope or binoculars — would suddenly become an extremely risky activity.
    Big Think, Big Think, 15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Blaylock was charged with felony injury to a child with serious bodily injury, court records show.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
  • By the eighth inning, the Mariners were facing the serious possibility of having to win both games in Toronto to take the series.
    Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perilous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perilous. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on perilous

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