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Synonyms

perilously

American  
[per-uh-luhs-lee] / ˈpɛr ə ləs li /

adverb

  1. in a way or to a degree that is full of grave risk or peril; dangerously.

    That lighthouse has always been perilously close to the ever-eroding cliffs.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of perilously

perilous ( def. ) + -ly


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:

Take the ice-dependent polar bear, rapidly losing its food-sustaining habitat and having to perilously adapt by nudging further and further into human spaces.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

Traffic cones are set back from the crater, which appears to be perilously close to swallowing the house's double garage.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

Hugo grew up in the area and has returned from his home in Bali to watch his mother's house in the village of Arès, which is perilously close to the wildfires.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

The get-rich ethos that defines our time may be only rivaled by our perilously tantalizing obsession with vengeance.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

Proteins enable these barely possible reactions, allowing us to live on the edges of chemical entropy—skating perilously, but never falling in.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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