parlous

adjective

ˈpär-ləs How to pronounce parlous (audio)
Definition of parlousnext
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury window washing can indeed be a parlous occupation on a skyscraper

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 parlous The Conservatives, anticipating a heavy defeat, announced sweeping tax cuts before the election, expecting that Labour would have to raise them once in office, given the parlous state of Britain’s public finances. — Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 22 June 2026 Then there’s the parlous state of VW Group itself. — ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026 This isn’t the first time that someone has tried to use AI as a shortcut, with parlous consequences. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026 Despite the Soviet state’s parlous position, he was suffused with hope. — Literary Hub, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for parlous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlous
  1. dangerous
  2. hazardous
  3. perilous
  4. risky
  5. serious
  6. precarious
Adjective
  • Swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Fresh to strong winds will produce dangerous boating conditions, high surf, life-threatening rip currents, and moderate beach erosion through at least the first half of the coming week, forecasters said.
    — Felix Rodriguez, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • As the Miami Hurricanes found themselves in a precarious position on Saturday night, Malachi Toney didn’t see much concern on the sideline.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • No matter the results this November, however, we’re left with a precarious dynamic.
    — Christopher Miller, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of precarious

Browse Nearby Words

parlors
parlous
parochial
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Cite this Entry

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

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