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a dangerous situation
an unsafe situation
a hazardous situation
a risky situation
a scary situation
a serious situation
dangerous precedent
troublesome precedent
perilous precedent
awful precedent
unhealthy precedent
horrible precedent
dangerous levels
unhealthy levels
risky levels
toxic levels
deadly levels
hazardous levels
a dangerous enemy
a powerful enemy
a deadly enemy
a potent enemy
a wicked enemy
a threatening enemy

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 Starting a left-hander is about getting off to a good start against the dangerous lefties in the Dodgers lineup, beginning with Shohei Ohtani. Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025 If there is time, secure loose objects outside as these objects often become dangerous flying debris in high winds. Eva Wen, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2025 In the 19th century, gunshot wounds from up close were extremely dangerous. Brent Lang, Variety, 4 Aug. 2025 But having too few senescent cells is dangerous, because senescence helps block tumors. Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dangerous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dangerous
Adjective
  • The collapse of the bridge also caused hazardous debris to enter the Colorado River waterway.
    Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • The pace of the 2025 fires is reminiscent of the record-breaking 2023 wildfire season, which exposed millions of people in North America to hazardous smoke levels.
    Jun Wang, Space.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • All of which are made from lightweight, dishwasher-safe plastic that’s free of harmful chemicals.
    Anja Webb, Parents, 8 Aug. 2025
  • The Environmental Protection Agency’s endangerment finding for greenhouse gases, from 2009, says quite simply that these emissions endanger the public and qualify as harmful pollution; they can therefore be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
    Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Choose the concepts that challenge your thinking or open entirely new avenues — the ones that feel risky in an interesting way.
    Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
  • But the crypto industry is made up largely of riskier products than stablecoins — and firms fear a future president could unravel much of what Trump has done to boost them.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Air pollution of all forms can be detrimental to health, but the tiny particles in smoke are particularly pernicious.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Losing Love for any stretch of time would be detrimental to the Packers' season.
    James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Murphy only wants to escape and regain custody of his daughter, Penny, but becomes entangled in Clancy’s perilous gold smuggling scheme, facing threats from both the treacherous wilderness and potential betrayal within his own group.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 6 Aug. 2025
  • The lack of comprehensive protections and support systems for athletes echoes the Wild West’s perilous landscape, where pioneers often had to fend for themselves amid uncertainty and danger.
    Jim Martin, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • In a surprising aside given the damaging, lurid testimony in the trial about Combs’ private life, Agnifilo said one of Diddy’s future goals is to perform at one of New York’s most iconic venues again.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Even though plants need sun to grow, too much scorching sunshine can be damaging.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Some serious symptoms of a West Nile virus infection include fever, severe headaches, stiff neck, disorientation or confusion.
    Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Away from football, this has more serious ramifications.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Many models struggle to operate in adverse weather conditions, and drones have weight limits for parcels.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The maintenance of a favorable risk-reward ratio over a shorter timeframe of 5 years is promising for retirement accounts – mitigating the risk of liquidation (if necessary) during adverse drawdown scenarios.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dangerous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dangerous. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dangerous

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