THESAURUS a situation in which it is likely that someone or something will be harmed, killed, or destroyed►danger
a situation in which it is likely that someone or something will be harmed, killed, or destroyed: Danger! No Swimming. As the storm continued, the captain realized the ship was in great danger.
►risk
the chance that something bad may happen: Smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer.
►threat
the possibility that something bad will happen: In the 1950s and '60s, there seemed to be a constant threat of nuclear war.
►hazard
something that may be dangerous or cause accidents, problems, etc.: Lighting fires in the park is a safety hazard.
►peril
formal danger of being harmed or killed. Used especially in writing: The soldiers put their lives in peril to protect the village.
1[uncountable] great danger, especially of being harmed or killed: They put their own lives in peril to rescue us.► see thesaurus at danger2perils [plural] the dangers or problems relating to a particular activity or situation: the perils that lie ahead in lifethe perils of something The men survived the perils of ice, snow, and storms.3do something at your peril to do something that is very dangerous or could cause very serious problems for you: We destroy the rainforests at our peril.