Peril

Simple meaning

Peril means serious danger — the kind that could cause real harm, damage, or loss if not addressed.

Detailed meaning

Peril is a more formal and dramatic word for danger. It is not used for minor inconveniences — it signals risk that could lead to significant harm.

As a noun:

• "The explorers understood the perils of the journey." — The risks were real and could kill them.
• "The company's finances were in peril." — Serious risk of failure.
• "She was in grave peril." — She faced real, immediate danger.

Common phrases:

• "At your peril" — If you ignore this, the consequences are your responsibility. "You dismiss this warning at your peril." — Ignore it, and the harm that follows is on you.
• "In peril" — In a state of serious danger. "The deal is in peril."
• "Perilous" (adjective) — Full of danger. "A perilous journey."
• "Perilously" (adverb) — Dangerously close. "The deadline was perilously close."

Word forms:

• Peril (noun) — the danger itself
• Perilous (adjective) — dangerously risky
• Perilously (adverb) — in a dangerously close or risky way

Where to use it

• Formal or serious writing — "The integrity of the system is in peril if these vulnerabilities go unaddressed."
• Warnings with weight — "Leaders who ignore their teams do so at their peril."
• Literature and storytelling — "The hero faced countless perils on the road ahead."
• Business and strategy — "The brand's reputation is in peril after the public incident."

Where not to use it

Don't use peril for small inconveniences or minor setbacks. It is a serious word for serious danger — using it for trivial situations sounds dramatic and weakens your writing. In casual conversation, it can sound overly formal; danger, risk, or trouble may feel more natural.

5 example sentences

1. The rescue team worked through the night, aware that the missing hikers were in genuine peril as temperatures dropped.
2. "You ignore this structural report at your peril," the engineer warned — and the council listened.
3. The perilous mountain road had claimed three vehicles that winter — one wrong turn and there was no recovery.
4. The company's cash reserves were perilously low — one missed payment and the whole operation would stall.
5. Great literature often puts characters in peril — not to frighten, but to reveal what they are made of.

Common mistakes

Similar & opposite words

Similar (synonyms)

Opposite (antonyms)

Memory trick

A short story to remember it

The report sat on the director's desk for three weeks, unopened. The headline on the cover said: Security Assessment — Critical Findings.

His assistant mentioned it twice. He said he'd get to it.

By week four, a data breach had exposed 80,000 customer records. The company faced a regulatory investigation, a wave of press coverage, and an emergency board meeting.

In the meeting, someone surfaced the unopened report.

The director had been warned. He had ignored it. He had not been in peril himself — but the company, and its customers, had been.

"Warnings exist for a reason," the board chair said quietly. "You ignore them at your peril."

"Peril rarely announces itself loudly. It waits quietly in the reports nobody reads."

Practice quiz

Summary

Peril means serious danger — the kind that could cause real harm, damage, or loss. It is more formal and stronger than risk or danger. Key phrases: in peril (in a state of serious danger) and at your peril (ignore this, and the consequences are yours). The adjective is perilous (dangerous); the adverb is perilously (dangerously close to something bad). Reserve it for situations that genuinely deserve the weight — not minor inconveniences.