PERIL Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

peril 1 of 2

noun

ˈper-əl

Definition of peril

as in threat

something that may cause injury or harm life is full of unexpected perils

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in risk

the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil they were unhappy about sending their son into peril overseas

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

peril

2 of 2

verb

ˈper-əl

as in to endanger

to place in danger a tribute to the men and women who, as firefighters, peril their lives daily

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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 peril

Noun

The author behind the singular Elizabeth Zott returns with ‘Peck & Peck,’ a sharp, charming satire on the pretensions and perils of literary gatekeepers. — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 Outside of Waymos, there also have been concerns about other autonomous vehicles taking their passengers into peril. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Even as Anthropic ostensibly pleads for guardrails because of AI’s peril, national security anxieties will override any caution – becauseof that same potential power. — Michael Serazio, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 One of the best ways to stay private and protect yourself from the internet's many perils is a VPN. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for peril

Recent Examples of Synonyms for peril

Noun

Beyond the immediate threat to crude supplies, damage to refining infrastructure could pose a more persistent challenge to global energy markets.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Trump has repeated threats to take out power plants and other infrastructure.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of threat

Noun

The wide availability of low-cost, powerful open models is one reason Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned that open models in particular pose a risk of widespread and potentially devastating cyber attacks.

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
That could represent either a benefit or a risk for shareholders, as decision-making would become faster but have fewer checks.

— Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of risk

Verb

The money will go to conservation groups and local partners working on species the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies as endangered, critically endangered, or extinct in the wild.

— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Delron Pickens, of Independence, was charged with one count of vehicle hijacking and one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child in Jackson County Circuit Court on Sunday.

— Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of endanger

Noun

Earlier this week, missiles fired by the Houthis struck a residential area in Taiz, killing two teenage girls and renewing attention on the dangers faced by civilians.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Gigantic Fantastic also explores the development of steroids themselves, their physiological effects, as well as other image and performance-enhancing drugs and their dangers.

— Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of danger

Noun

Deadline first revealed last month that BBC Three, the youth network that has given rise to beloved British series including Fleabag and Gavin & Stacey, was in serious jeopardy.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
Yet decisions that could contribute to anything from an individual suicide to large-scale cyberattacks and geopolitical destabilization are made without personal legal jeopardy.

— Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of jeopardy

Verb

Matthew Unglesbee, a 36-year-old resident of Quincy in southwestern Illinois, was charged with violations related to false information and hoaxes and mailing threatening communications.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
When all out-of-court options have been exhausted, and the MCA debt threatens the immediate survival of an otherwise viable business, legal reorganization is the final angle of management.

— Nathan Mor, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of threaten

Noun

And set yourself up for a trouble-free voting experience by checking your registration and voting location before heading to the polls.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026
With DraftKings available in all 50 states, the campaign revolves around Hart and Jonas traveling throughout the country, where car troubles can happen.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of trouble

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periapts

peril

periled

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“Peril.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peril. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of peril

noun

verb

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