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

"We didn't win any first balls, didn't win any second balls either. Belarus probably looked more dangerous than us over the 90 minutes."

Read more on BBC

All these illusionary names are what tort lawyers call attractive nuisances, enticing but dangerous.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Some on Israel’s right came to view Hamas as a “strategic asset,” less dangerous in the long-run than the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Earth is lucky to have a magnetic field that shields the planet -- and everything living on it -- from dangerous cosmic radiation.

Read more on Science Daily

Recently, one pair of cosmic dancers has turned astronomer’s heads by performing a very dangerous routine — which they’ve nicknamed the cosmic joust!

Read more on Space Scoop

Related Words

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