peril
Americannoun
-
perils
plural
-
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:
Rep. Jimmy Gomez’s reelection bid, once helped by his high-profile fight against President Trump’s immigration policies, is in peril as he tries to recover from allegations of sexual misconduct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
Add to those a declining catch, warming water which is pushing what Train called the lobster "sweet spot" out deeper and a shifting tariff policy, and Maine's singular coastal heritage industry is facing peril.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
This moment of peril illustrates the layers making up the modern battlefield.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Yet this true story of peril and peregrination is a treat for the mature reader, too, not least because Shulevitz had a gift for evoking how it feels to be small.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
There was no peril here, or desire for escape.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Conflict is ever-present in Morrison, who chooses to climb Everest despite its perils.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026
Wilshere, who is aiming to guide Luton to promotion to the Championship this season, felt one of his managerial strengths was being able to warn his young players of the perils of professional football.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
In the debate over the power and perils of AI agents, many of the characteristics that are supposed to make them dangerously intelligent are being glossed over.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, the series follows five 20-something housemates in Queens as they navigate the pleasures and perils of early adulthood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
He felt that he must get counsel from the oracle and he would not hear of her sharing the perils of the voyage.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
One night last week an old dog periled the Earl's new job.
From Time Magazine Archive
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
The friend and counselor of Tooke and Holcroft, he was obnoxious to the Government, but his retired habits saved him from the prosecutions that periled the lives of his more active associates.
From Sketches of Reforms and Reformers, of Great Britain and Ireland by Henry B. Stanton
He stood in the gate of the temple he had periled his life to save, And the face of the unknown hero was the sable face of a slave!
From Poems Teachers Ask For Selected by readers of "Normal Instructor-Primary Plans" by Various
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
As to her periling her life, those Marsh people are amphibious anyway, or would be in those clothes.
From The Heritage of Dedlow Marsh and Other Tales by Bret Harte
It was the unhandsome treatment of himself and reckless periling of the character and interests of his Expedition in order to shield others, that raised his indignation.
From The Personal Life of David Livingstone by William Garden Blaikie
He was still holding fast his faith in General McClellan, and this was steadily widening the breach between him and Congress, and periling the success of the war.
From Political Recollections 1840 to 1872 by George W. Julian
No one could then manifest any sympathy with the proscribed without periling life.
From Josephine Makers of History by John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot) Abbott
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
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
The cause in which I perilled life was that of France, my country.
From Diary And Notes Of Horace Templeton, Esq. Volume I (of II) by Charles James Lever
Discovery would not only have perilled my own life, but also have involved those of my kind protectors.
From Arthur O'Leary His Wanderings And Ponderings In Many Lands by Charles James Lever
Lester, he will not release the bird for which he has perilled so much," she said, with frank confidence in her tones, "and we must devise some means to save both him and his prize.
From Captain Kyd (Vol 1 of 2) or, The Wizard of the Sea by Jonathon Holt Ingraham
It was at least a foot higher and of solid stone masonry, and as I did so I felt that I was perilling my life to save theirs.
From Charles O'Malley, The Irish Dragoon, Volume 2 by Charles James Lever
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
God forbid I should think of my own safety, when so many of the faithful are perilling theirs!
From The History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic — Volume 2 by William Hickling Prescott
But he answered, that "he could not stop to calculate chances, when his subjects were perilling their lives for his sake;" a reply, says Pulgar, which endeared him to the whole army.
From The History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic — Volume 2 by William Hickling Prescott
The editor could dedicate his paper to the service of Janus, the two-faced deity, and thus pursue his business without perilling his reputation for religious consistency.
From Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 10, June 4, 1870 by Various
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