perilous

adjective

per·​il·​ous ˈper-ə-ləs 

ˈpe-rə-

: full of or involving peril

a perilous journey

perilously adverb

perilousness noun

Synonyms

• dangerous
• grave
• grievous
• hazardous
• jeopardizing
• menacing
• parlous
• risky
• serious
• threatening
• unhealthy
• unsafe
• venturesome

Choose the Right Synonym for perilous

dangerous, hazardous, precarious, perilous, risky mean bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury.

dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

Examples of perilous in a Sentence

a perilous journey across the mountains

a perilous journey through hostile territory

Recent Examples on the Web

The harrowing true-life tale follows Glass on a perilous fur-trading expedition in the 1820s. —Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2024

The company believes that rice, devoid of the water that fills standard grapes, will offer a lighter and more practical alternative when making the perilous journey from Earth to the Moon. —Luke Chinman, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024

The arduous climb, which took well over three months, was a journey filled with perilous obstacles – but also moments of discovery and awe as the six-wheeled robot stopped along the way to survey its surroundings. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024

Burnout and Algorithmic Bosses Such upbeat framings of the creator economy belie the perilous realities of work in this field. —Brooke Erin Duffy, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English perilous, perelous, borrowed from Anglo-French perilleus, perillous, going back to Latin perīculōsus, from perīculum "test, risk, peril entry 1" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

perilous

adjective

per·​il·​ous ˈper-ə-ləs 

: full of or involving peril

perilously adverb

perilousness noun