perilous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- nonperilous adjective
- perilously adverb
- perilousness noun
- unperilous adjective
Etymology
Origin of perilous
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French perillous, from Latin perīculōsus; peril, -ous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, as Barron’s has written, the memory market is prone to cycles of boom and bust, meaning it could be perilous for investors to chase the rally higher.
From Barron's
Her words were echoed by the masseuse, who also warned that the current situation was perilous, telling the BBC: "There's so much fear in the streets and in our homes."
From BBC
As their perilous and ultimately futile journey continues, Ishmaelle and the monk become closer, somehow finding the words to speak to each other across the ocean of linguistic difference between English and Chinese.
From Los Angeles Times
Last October, I decided to make the perilous journey through all five “Scary Movie” films after realizing that I’d never seen a single one in its entirety — only a collection of well-known bits.
From Salon
What happens next isn’t clear, as the U.S. faces the prospect of overseeing Venezuela during a perilous moment.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
