Synonyms of risky

risky

adjective

ˈri-skē 

as in dangerous

involving potential loss or injury

a risky new adventure

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dangerous
• hazardous
• perilous
• serious
• unsafe
• precarious
• treacherous
• threatening
• menacing
• unhealthy
• venturesome
• random
• grave
• grievous
• uncertain
• parlous
• jeopardizing
• fatal
• destructive
• detrimental
• harmful
• unpleasant
• bad
• dicey
• insecure
• adverse
• haphazard
• lethal
• sickening
• chance
• deadly
• ugly
• injurious
• distressing
• nasty
• fell
• murderous
• deleterious
• pernicious
• ultrahazardous
• malignant
• hurtful
• wicked
• evil
• killer
• noxious
• inimical
• fateful
• dire
• baneful
• ill
• mortal
• baleful
• deathly
• pestilent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• safe
• harmless
• innocuous
• innocent
• beneficial
• nonthreatening
• nonhazardous
• good
• advantageous
• unthreatening
• ultrasafe

Synonym Chooser

How is the word risky distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of risky are dangerous, hazardous, perilous, and precarious. While all these words mean "bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury," risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

When can dangerous be used instead of risky?

While the synonyms dangerous and risky are close in meaning, dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

When could hazardous be used to replace risky?

Although the words hazardous and risky have much in common, hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

When would perilous be a good substitute for risky?

The words perilous and risky can be used in similar contexts, but perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

When might precarious be a better fit than risky?

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

earned a precarious living by gambling

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of risky

Extra clean water is also helpful in the event a pet is exposed to flood waters or other risky conditions, such as an area with chemicals. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026

Wider spreads mean investors are demanding higher yields for holding corporate debt, viewing it as riskier. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026

Now, experts at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania want to see whether the drugs can benefit people's bank accounts by reducing risky financial decisions, such as gambling or compulsive shopping. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

And props to the stars who have enough confidence to wear such risky accessories. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026