peril
Americannoun
-
exposure to injury, loss, or destruction; grave risk; jeopardy; danger.
They faced the peril of falling rocks.
-
something that causes or may cause injury, loss, or destruction.
verb (used with object)
noun
Synonym Usage
See danger.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of peril
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin perīculum “danger, test, trial,” from perī-, verb base meaning “try” (also found in the compound experīrī “to try, test”; see experience) + -culum -cle 2
Explanation
If you realize mid-climb that your rock climbing rope is frayed, you might be in peril. The word peril means imminent danger to life and limb. Peril comes from the Latin peric(u)lum, meaning danger. Today it's often used in tandem with the word mortal, which relates to death. For example, you're in mortal peril when you're flying down a cliff-side trail on your mountain bike and you hit loose gravel. Peril can also describe dangers of a less physical sort, though it's less common. If your employer sinks your 401K into what turns out to be a Ponzi scheme, he's put your retirement in peril.
Vocabulary lists containing peril
"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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ACT Vocabulary List
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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.
See Examples For:
GM and the broader U.S. industry still face potential peril.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
It was in this context, that AllHere, in corporate financial peril, allegedly paid for Carvalho’s travel to the White House gathering, where Carvalho was featured, sources said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
People fleeing persecution because of their political beliefs, gender or sexuality, and how they pray will face certain peril.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
But it is limited peril, because South Korea are still very likely to reach the last 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
With Garfield and the Stalwarts battling and with Conkling resigning, Guiteau feared that his deserved diplomatic appointment was in peril.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
The Platner disaster shows the danger in that thinking—and the perils of the macho attitude behind it.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
The perils of leaving a five-star review on a wing and a prayer.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
“ProPublica’s reporting shows the perils of not having this law,” Rubin said.
From Salon ● Jun. 16, 2026
But by steering the live-action Prime Video adaptation directly into the anxieties of the zeitgeist, showrunner Eric Kripke has transformed the superhero satire into a terrifying tale about the perils of authoritarianism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Times at the perils of falling off it.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
Whether Franklin Roosevelt consciously led the U.S. to war, or hoped to keep the U.S. out by a daring support of its periled friends, will be historians' debating ground for years to come.
From Time Magazine Archive
We all realize that we live in periled times, and our nation must be prepared to defend itself at a moment's notice.
From Time Magazine Archive
One night last week an old dog periled the Earl's new job.
From Time Magazine Archive
He exacted the utmost consideration for his men, and the officer who periled their safety, or disputed their efficiency, was quickly called to account.
From Robert Toombs Statesman, Speaker, Soldier, Sage by Stovall, Pleasant A.
Let us, the Living, rather dedicate Ourselves to the unfinished work, which they Thus far advanced so nobly on its way, And saved the periled State!
From The Poets' Lincoln Tributes in Verse to the Martyred President by Oldroyd, Osborn H. (Osborn Hamiline)
Justice Department attorneys respond that fears about Snepp's being a loose cannon periling the First Amendment rights of all sorts of people are greatly exaggerated.
From Time Magazine Archive
Their generous hostess, periling her own life for them, daily supplied them with food.
From Madame Roland, Makers of History by Abbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)
But her periling her life to save him from an unjust accusation, and her desire to shield her brother's pride from ridicule, is altogether praiseworthy and extraordinary.
From The Heritage of Dedlow Marsh and Other Tales by Harte, Bret
He had informed Butler's agent; he had watched day and night; had given the Unionists plans of the grounds; was now periling his own rescue to bring the arch-traitor to his doom.
From The Iron Game A Tale of the War by Keenan, Henry F. (Henry Francis)
There was a mystery connected with her periling her life in the way she did that I could not then solve, but I made no inquiry into her secret.
From Uncle Daniel's Story Of "Tom" Anderson And Twenty Great Battles by McElroy, John
But a monarch of the forest flung his head in furious rage, Naught he cared for sovereign sahib, sought some foe now to engage; While the crowd in panic parted, perilled pundits sought a sage.
From Time Magazine Archive
A vague presentiment whispered within me that the happiness of my whole life was at stake,—perhaps perilled for ever.
From The Mysteries of Paris, Volume 2 of 6 by Sue, Eugène
Would that he could have fought single-handed—he alone—and perilled, and have lost his life!
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 62, No. 383, September 1847 by Various
I sincerely hope I have not perilled your journey; but I went to fetch you a rose.
From Luttrell Of Arran Complete by Lever, Charles James
Directly he seemed to have the end in his hand, and they saw him stretch the left arm as if to throw it around the body of the perilled man.
From The Coward A Novel of Society and the Field in 1863 by Morford, Henry
Humbly and earnestly I sought to the God of wisdom and light to guide me; and I never felt for a moment that I was perilling my salvation.
From Autobiography and Letters of Orville Dewey, D.D. Edited by his Daughter by Dewey, Mary Elizabeth
"I give thee my gage," said the cavalier, "with this understanding, then, that I am free to fly, whenever I may do so without perilling thy life, and the life of Jacinto."
From Calavar or The Knight of The Conquest, A Romance of Mexico by Bird, Robert Montgomery
We saw him t’other night perilling his life to stop the poor crazy prentices, and save the foreigners.
From The Armourer's Prentices by Hennessy, W.J.
I thought I was perilling my head by coming here, and you tell me I have saved it.
From Vera or, The Nihilists by Wilde, Oscar
So he spoke solemnly to him, warning him against perilling his future by relapsing into his old courses in Charleston.
From Stories by American Authors, Volume 7 by Various
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.
