The meaning of PERILOUS is full of or involving peril. How to use perilous in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Perilous.

Moral achievement, perilous danger, and individual action, rather than the specific details of an expedition's instructions or successes, were thrust to centre stage.

PERILOUS definition: involving or full of grave risk or peril; hazardous; dangerous. See examples of perilous used in a sentence.

Definition of perilous adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

perilous in American English (ˈperələs) adjective involving or full of grave risk or peril; hazardous; dangerous

Feb 2, 2026 · Adjective perilous (comparative more perilous, superlative most perilous) Dangerous, full of peril.

There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the word perilous, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Perilous definition: Full of or involving peril; dangerous or risky.

Something that is dangerous or very risky can be described with the adjective perilous. If you are driving in a blizzard, you may kick yourself for making such a perilous journey. The adjective perilous …

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 per•il•ous (per′ ə ləs), adj. involving or full of grave risk or peril; hazardous; dangerous: a perilous voyage across the …