DANGEROUS Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'dangerous' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of dangerous are hazardous , perilous , precarious , and risky . While all these words mean "bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury," dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully. // soldiers on a dangerous mission

Q: When could 'hazardous' be used to replace 'dangerous'?

The meanings of hazardous and dangerous largely overlap; however, hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure. // claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

Q: When can 'perilous' be used instead of 'dangerous'?

The synonyms perilous and dangerous are sometimes interchangeable, but perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger. // perilous mountain roads

Q: When might 'precarious' be a better fit than 'dangerous'?

In some situations, the words precarious and dangerous are roughly equivalent. However, precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty. // earned a precarious living by gambling

Q: When is it sensible to use 'risky' instead of 'dangerous'?

The words risky and dangerous can be used in similar contexts, but risky often applies to a known and accepted danger. // shied away from risky investments

dangerous

adjective

ˈdān-jə-rəs

Definition of dangerous

as in hazardous

involving potential loss or injury the soldiers were specially selected to go on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in harmful

causing or capable of causing harm the common knowledge that smoking is dangerous to one's health hasn't stopped some people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dangerous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of dangerous are hazardous, perilous, precarious, and risky. While all these words mean "bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury," dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

When could hazardous be used to replace dangerous?

The meanings of hazardous and dangerous largely overlap; however, hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

When can perilous be used instead of dangerous?

The synonyms perilous and dangerous are sometimes interchangeable, but perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

When might precarious be a better fit than dangerous?

In some situations, the words precarious and dangerous are roughly equivalent. However, precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

When is it sensible to use risky instead of dangerous?

The words risky and dangerous can be used in similar contexts, but risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dangerous While the citations described dangerous driving, the murder charges will require the prosecution to prove that Battiloro purposely caused the deaths, Bramnick said. — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 But forecasters say the most dangerous conditions are likely behind us. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made a final appeal to voters considering a path toward independence in his home province of Alberta on Friday, warning that a referendum is a dangerous gamble at a time of growing threats to Canada’s sovereignty. — Rob Gillies, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 The attorneys also hoped the litigation would lead to changes in workplace safety practices that German-Oden alleged remained dangerous. — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dangerous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dangerous

Adjective

Ultimately, the greatest impacts will be determined by the storm's track, but periods of heavy rain and wind, along coastal flooding, beach erosion, and hazardous surf are a concern, especially for the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Preliminary tests indicate the substance is not hazardous; the letters prompted evacuations and police responses, with no injuries reported in the California incidents described.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of hazardous

Adjective

Local government and outside groups have long strived to ban the popular tourist attraction that critics argue is harmful to horses’ well-being.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
Waters are becoming cloudier overall, while harmful algal blooms — measured through chlorophyll a levels — are trending in the wrong direction, the report found.

— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of harmful

Adjective

The fact fraternity alumni donate more makes getting rid of fraternities financially risky for schools.

— Jens Ludwig, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Representatives Lori Trahan and Jay Obernolte have advanced the FRONTIER Act, which would authorize government intervention against risky models and override some state laws.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of risky

Adjective

Hyperscalers opine on how detrimental electrical outages are to their business.

— Drew Robb, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Kennon, who is currently being held in Falkenburg Road Jail, was released from the program due to conduct detrimental to the team, the school said.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of detrimental

Adjective

At least 84 people remained missing in one of the deadliest shipwrecks yet on the popular but perilous crossing from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, where many migrants seek work in rich Gulf nations.

— JAMEY KEATEN, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
But the pincer movement—the armed invasion from the East, and tariffs from the West—is leaving steelmaking in Ukraine in a perilous position.

— Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of perilous

Adjective

Strong overnight thunderstorms brought heavy rain and damaging winds to the Kansas City metro, prompting a tornado warning for Clay County and leaving thousands of people without power Wednesday morning.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
In a culture marked by high-power distance, that’s a particularly damaging signal.

— Ryoji Sekido, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of damaging

Adjective

The subject is of particular interest at CBS News, where Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss has repeatedly encouraged the network’s journalists to dedicate serious resources to finding a potential link.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Illinois Republicans are angry that the congressional map is deliberately drawn to their serious disadvantage, with some districts almost comically gerrymandered.

— John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of serious

Adjective

In fact, the National Trust for Historic Preservation says the nationwide average for a review is 16 days, and that 98% of those reviews conclude that the project will have no adverse effect on nearby historic resources.

— Rachel Treisman, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026
High prices also a factor But despite positive weather news and whispers of an abundance of crab, other factors could affect prices in adverse ways for consumers.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of adverse

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danger

dangerous

dangers

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“Dangerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dangerous. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dangerous

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