hazardous

[ haz-er-duhs ]

adjective

1. full of risk; perilous; risky:

   a hazardous journey.

   Synonyms: unsafe, dangerous

   Antonyms: secure, safe

2. dependent on chance.

   Synonyms: speculative, risky, uncertain, chancy

   Antonyms: reliable, certain, sure

hazardous

/ ˈhæzədəs /

adjective

1. involving great risk
2. depending on chance

Derived Forms

• ˈhazardousness, noun
• ˈhazardously, adverb

Other Words From

• hazard·ous·ly adverb
• hazard·ous·ness noun
• non·hazard·ous adjective
• non·hazard·ous·ly adverb
• non·hazard·ous·ness noun
• ultra·hazard·ous adjective
• un·hazard·ous adjective
• un·hazard·ous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hazardous¹

First recorded in 1570–80; hazard + -ous

Example Sentences

Only a small amount of sleet or freezing rain causes slick, hazardous roads and walkways.

From Washington Post

Even if the ice is lighter, it could still be very slippery and hazardous.

From Washington Post

The cross-border sewage spills routinely led to beach closures and exposed people to hazardous materials.

From Voice of San Diego

The approvals, which are allowed under the department’s administrative rules, are designed to mitigate hazardous situations during an emergency.

From ProPublica

An agency memo reported that he was recruited in 1961 and captained a six-person crew on “hazardous missions to accomplish exfiltrations” from Cuba.

From Washington Post

A yellow hazardous material bin placed out on the lawn, just beyond some red tape reading “Danger Do Not Enter,” left no doubt.

From The Daily Beast

Refinery management had normalized the occurrences of hazardous conditions.

From The Daily Beast

They say the port handles hazardous materials 365 days a year.

From The Daily Beast

Warning: NSFW in places where facial spasms and eye moistness could be hazardous.

From The Daily Beast

I drove from supposedly hazardous, urban Kansas City to the pretty, purported safety of suburban Overland Park.

From The Daily Beast

The Jaguar cleverly profited by his advantages to attempt the most hazardous enterprises and the most daring strokes.

From Project Gutenberg

I owed it to myself to make it; who knows whether you may not repent to-morrow the hazardous step you are taking to-day?

From Project Gutenberg

Even then the savages had the advantage of an excellent position, and to press them was extremely hazardous business.

From Project Gutenberg

Landy says that a rough, hazardous trail just back of our house leads directly to the near corner of the property.

From Project Gutenberg

The run across the honey-combed plain was hazardous—even to Indian ponies—and three went down kicking, one after the other.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dicey
• difficult
• perilous
• precarious
• risky
• uncertain
• unhealthy
• unsafe
• unsound