You're stepping into dangerous territory.
Source: tatoeba (16222)
Dangerous
/ˈdeɪn.ʒ(ə.)ɹəs/
Synonyms for "dangerous" (178 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (36)
Strong matches (53)
Adjective(24 words)
gnarliestgnarlygravegrievoushairiestharmful chemicalharmful deviceshazardoushazardous acidhazardous activityhazardous chemicalhazardous chemical labelhazardous chemical substancehazardous choicehazardous experimenthazardous guidelinehazardous misusehazardous substancehazardous waste regulationshostile climate
Show 4 more words
Verb(2 words)
Adjective(3 words)
Noun(6 words)
high voltage stored-energy capacitorimperillinginstinctive understandingmalicious programmore hazardousnoxious weed
Related words (89)
Adjective(6 words)
Adjective(32 words)
perilouspoisonous mushroompotential chemical hazardriskierriskyrisky behaviorrisky methodrisky riverrisqueseriousserious issueserious matterseveresketchyterrifyingthin icetoxictoxic chemicaltoxic environmenttoxic material
Show 12 more words
toxic rumortoxic solventtoxic substanceunhealthiestunhealthy conditionunsafe actionunsafe environmentunsafe housingunsafe manipulationunsafestvolatilewild beast
Noun(9 words)
rattlesnakeriskingserious descriptorstrong cleaning solventtemptingtoxic alteration zonetoxic chemical exposuretoxic chemical substanceviolent push
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: unsafe, acute, adverse weather, alarming, awkward.
- hazardous: 'Hazardous' is technical and regulatory, hazardous materials, hazardous conditions. It implies measurable risk and official warning.
- Sentence evidence is available for dangerous, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "dangerous".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "dangerous"
Keep "dangerous" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "dangerous" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "dangerous", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "dangerous" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
How these synonyms differ
- hazardous - 'Hazardous' is technical and regulatory, hazardous materials, hazardous conditions. It implies measurable risk and official warning.
- lethal - 'Lethal' means capable of killing. It strips away ambiguity, the danger isn't injury or inconvenience but death.
- perilous - 'Perilous' is literary and dramatic, a perilous journey, a perilous situation. The stakes are life-altering and the outcome uncertain.
- risky - 'Risky' implies a calculated gamble, the danger is known and you might choose to face it anyway. Less severe than 'dangerous.'
- treacherous - 'Treacherous' adds betrayal to danger, a treacherous path looks safe but isn't. The threat is hidden.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
1 entriesMore specific
3 entriesfire hazardhazardous materialtoxic substance
Collocations
6 entriesdangerous activitydangerous animaldangerous chemicaldangerous roaddangerous situationdangerous weather
Inflections
2 entriesmore dangerousmost dangerous
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
24 entriesShowing 16 of 24 words.
Sample sentences
15 total sentences available.
It is dangerous for you to swim in this river.
Source: tatoeba (18032)
We think it is very dangerous that you're climbing the mountain alone.
Source: tatoeba (18066)
Dangerous driving should be punished.
Source: tatoeba (20701)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "dangerous"?
Closest matches include unsafe, acute, adverse weather, alarming, awkward.
How is "hazardous" different from "dangerous"?
'Hazardous' is technical and regulatory, hazardous materials, hazardous conditions. It implies measurable risk and official warning.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "dangerous"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.