noun
peril
PEH-rihl
noun
1
A situation of serious, immediate danger.
"The hikers were in peril when the storm hit the mountain."
"She rescued the child from peril without a second thought."
2
A specific danger or risk, especially one covered by an insurance policy.
"Fire and flood are two perils the policy covers."
How to Use Peril
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSerious danger, or a specific thing that could cause harm.
Common mistake
Mostly used as a noun in formal or dramatic writing; the verb form ("to peril") is rare — "imperil" is far more common.
Common pairings
in peril
grave peril
perils of
Word Forms
periled past tense, perilled past tense, perils plural, perils singular
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The hikers were in _____ when the storm hit the mountain.
Etymology
From Old French peril, from Latin periculum ("danger, risk, trial").