Basic Details
Word: Perilous
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Full of danger or risk.
Synonyms: dangerous, hazardous, risky, treacherous
Antonyms: safe, secure
How to Spell Perilous
Syllables: per - il - ous
Tricky part: There is one r and one l: per-il-ous. Students double the l (perillous) or the r (perrilous).
Watch out for: perillous, perrilous, perilus
Memory tip: A peril is a danger, so perilous is full of peril, just as famous is full of fame. Peril + ous, nothing doubled.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The road to the mountain village is perilous in the monsoon.
Example 2: The sailors made a perilous crossing in the storm.
Example 3: After the flood, the old bridge was in a perilous state.
Fun Fact
The Zoji La pass, which links Kashmir with Ladakh, is known as one of the most perilous mountain roads in India and is often closed by snow in winter.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word perilous as used in the sentence:
Crossing the swollen river on a rope bridge was perilous for the trekkers.
a) hazardous
b) dangerous
c) risky
d) safe
Show answer
d) safe. Risky, hazardous and dangerous mean what perilous means; safe means free from danger.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The climbers made a lrsuoiep climb up the icy cliff face.
a) populous
b) perilous
c) previous
d) porous
Show answer
b) perilous. Previous needs a v, porous is too short and populous has no r; only perilous uses the l and the r.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Rescue workers spent the night on a perillous ledge above the gorge, waiting for the helicopter that would lift the stranded hikers to safety.
a) helicopter
b) perillous
c) ledge
d) stranded
Show answer
b) perillous. Peril has one l, and adding ous does not double it.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Calling a mission perilous tells you it ____.
a) needs no planning
b) carries great danger
c) is very easy
d) lasts a few minutes
Show answer
b) carries great danger
2. Which of these trips sounds the most perilous?
a) a short bus ride to the market
b) crossing a glacier in a blizzard
c) a train trip to visit cousins
d) a walk round the school garden
Show answer
b) crossing a glacier in a blizzard
