adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dangerous
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English da(u)ngerous “domineering, fraught with danger,” from Old French dangereus “threatening, difficult,” equivalent to dangier ( see danger) + -eus -ous
Explanation
Use the word dangerous to describe anything that can potentially cause serious harm, like a snarling pit bull or an icy, treacherous road. The earliest meaning of the word dangerous was "difficult or arrogant." When Geoffrey Chaucer wrote "The Canterbury Tales" in the 1300s, he used dangerous to mean "hard to please." Gradually the meaning changed, so that by the late fifteenth century, dangerous meant "liable to cause hurt" or "risky." Just as popular were two other danger-related words that we don't use anymore today: dangersome and dangerful, which at the time could be used interchangeably with dangerous.
Vocabulary lists containing dangerous
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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.
"I don't know how people don't recognize how dangerous this predicament is, how dangerous this is for Jews," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
We have Flock cameras in our city, a suburb of one of America’s most dangerous cities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Boxing's best young prospects tend to be handled carefully and are given time to learn before dangerous tests arrive.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Shell companies are dangerous because they are used both by criminal organizations to evade sanctions and launder money and by the rich to avoid taxes.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
The quad’s balloon tires cut through the water easily, but he’d have to watch out for hydroplaning, which was just as dangerous as driving on ice.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
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.
