dangerous

[deyn-jer-uhs, deynj-ruhs]

adjective

1. full of danger danger or risk; causing danger; danger; perilous; risky; hazardous; unsafe.

2. able or likely to cause physical injury.

   a dangerous criminal.

dangerous

/ ˈdeɪndʒərəs /

adjective

1. causing danger; perilous

Other Word Forms

• dangerousness noun
• dangerously adverb
• nondangerous adjective
• nondangerously adverb
• nondangerousness noun
• quasi-dangerous adjective
• quasi-dangerously adverb
• semidangerous adjective
• semidangerously adverb
• semidangerousness noun
• undangerous adjective
• undangerously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of dangerous¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English da(u)ngerous “domineering, fraught with danger,” from Old French dangereus “threatening, difficult,” equivalent to dangier ( danger ) + -eus -ous

Idioms and Phrases

see little knowledge is a dangerous thing; live dangerously.

Example Sentences

It’s also dangerous, because the populists use this story to justify clamping down on trade, immigration and basic freedoms.

Read more on MarketWatch

But at 3-3, they might look more dangerous than they did all of last year, when they squeaked out a number of close wins before getting clobbered by the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The investigation also uncovered potentially dangerous activity beyond community pharmacies.

Read more on BBC

“I think it’s absolutely dangerous rhetoric to be putting out into the ether,” said Lindsay Zimnoch, 35, who is expecting her first child in January.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

With climate change already causing dangerous extremes across the planet, a United Nations-led system based on consensus and pledges faces tough questions.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• alarming 
• bad 
• critical 
• deadly 
• fatal 
• nasty 
• perilous 
• precarious 
• risky 
• serious 
• terrible 
• threatening 
• treacherous 
• ugly 
• unhealthy 
• unsafe 
• unstable