parlous

American  

[pahr-luhs] / ˈpɑr ləs /

adjective

1. perilous; dangerous.

   parlous times;

   a cold and parlous winter.

2. Obsolete. clever; shrewd.

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adverb

1. Rare. to a large extent; greatly.

parlous British  

/ ˈpɑːləs /

adjective

1. dangerous or difficult

2. cunning

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adverb

1. extremely

Other Word Forms

• parlousness
  noun
• parlously
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of parlous

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, variant of perlous, shortening of perilous

Explanation

Parlous is an adjective that means "dangerous," such as the parlous car trip with a new driver behind the wheel! The first syllable in parlous rhymes with far and is accented: "PAR-less." It means dangerous — something that is parlous might carry the risk or threat of harm, like a parlous experience of being in a boat during a rainstorm. Parlous and perilous are synonyms. In fact, parlous is a shortened version, or contraction, of perilous that came about in the late 14th century.

Example Sentences

Suzuki, in an autobiography, recalled how shocked he was at the parlous state of some U.S. stores.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

A total electricity breakdown on Monday underscored the parlous state of the economy.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

This isn’t the first time that someone has tried to use AI as a shortcut, with parlous consequences.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

You can make a good argument that this news is bearish for bonds, because it surely raises further questions about parlous finances of the U.S. government.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

This stalwart lad of fourteen, with his fearless blue eyes and tanned face, looked more than his years, for he lived in parlous times, which ripened men early.

From Harper's Round Table, July 16, 1895 by Various