PERILS Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

perils 1 of 2

noun

plural of peril

as in threats

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

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perils

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of peril

as in endangers

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

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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 perils

Noun

Many in the industry pointed to that hack as an example of the perils of the rapid pace of AI developments and capabilities. — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026 Their ensuing ascent is defined as much by the tensions between backgrounds, classes and competing ambitions as by the perils of the mountain itself. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026 Corus Entertainment Gossling knows the perils and profits of traditional pay TV and has positioned the Canadian broadcast giant to revamp its business model for the streaming age. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 OpenAI and Anthropic’s leaders write at length about how AI’s risks and perils must be carefully studied for the sake of humanity. — Matthew Sun, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026 Whereas many tech leaders have, like Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, touted the benefits of AI, many have also expressed concern about its perils. — Reuters, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026 Teenage e-bikers on an Oakland County airport runway last week forced a pilot to abort his landing, taking the potential perils of e-bike misuse to a whole new level. — Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 27 Aug. 2026 The train is, of course, a classic example of the perennial perils of sunk costs; abandoning the line seems absurd (even to us) given how much money would be written off. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 This array of perils suggests that the gate closure has less to do with the passions around the Middle East than with domestic politics of appeasement. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 19 Aug. 2026

Verb

The rally in a swing district illustrates the benefits and perils Trump brings to his party’s candidates. — Cleve R. Wootson Jr, Washington Post, 22 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for perils

Noun

And as these entities' use and reliance on digital systems expands, so too does their exposure to potential cybersecurity threats.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
Alito’s concerns are not unfounded, as threats to members in recent history have raised alarm about justices’ safety.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of threats

Verb

However, the work, done with Tanzanian government partners, helps track threatened species and monitor human activity that endangers the region’s wildlife, making the few cameras lost in the process all the more worth it.

— Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
In response to that case, a biotech CEO recently warned in these pages that letting courts and politicians second-guess the FDA’s scientific judgment endangers the whole drug pipeline.

— Julie F. Kay, STAT, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of endangers

Noun

Tiny creatures like crabs and ants traveled huge distances, encountering all sorts of dangers—driven by the instinct to lay eggs and reproduce at any cost.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
As a dark parable for the dangers of climate change, the film has already proved polarizing, with early reviews coming in mixed.

— Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of dangers

Verb

The policy, however, risks a downshift in hiring and an uptick in the unemployment rate, though such fallout typically takes hold after a lag time lasting several months.

— Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
That seemingly sound advice from the master of the field now risks backfiring, Doctorow argued.

— Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of risks

Verb

After five shootings in less than a week left at least 46 people dead, South Africa is wrestling with how to tackle a spike in gun crime that threatens to undo recent progress in reducing its notoriously high murder rate.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Now, the growing popularity of AI search with consumers threatens to reverse that progress.

— Dax Dasilva, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of threatens

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perilous

perils

perimeter

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Style

“Perils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perils. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of perils

noun

verb

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