# peril

/ˈpɛɹəɫ/ (US) · /pˈɛɹəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/peril
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. serious danger

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

a situation where you are in great and immediate danger.

For teachers: a state of serious and immediate danger; often used in the phrase 'at one's peril'.

- The small boat was in great peril as the storm waves grew higher.
- The explorers were in mortal peril when their oxygen supplies began to fail at an altitude of eight thousand metres.

Usage: Commonly appears in the fixed expression 'at your peril', meaning you must accept the risks of your own actions.

### 2. a source of danger

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

something that causes danger or risk.

For teachers: a specific source of risk or a cause of loss, especially in a legal or insurance context.

- The hidden rocks in the river are a peril to all passing ships.
- The insurance policy specifically covers damage caused by fire, flood, and other natural perils.

Usage: In insurance and law, it refers to the specific cause of a loss.

### 3. to put at risk

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to put someone or something in a dangerous situation.

For teachers: to expose to danger or risk; to imperil.

- His reckless driving could peril the lives of everyone in the car.
- The diplomat feared that a single leaked document might peril the entire peace process.

Usage: The verb form is significantly less common than the noun; modern writers typically prefer 'endanger' or 'imperil'.

## Examples

- The hikers were in great peril during the storm.
- The captain realized the ship was in peril when the engines failed near the rocky coast.
- Environmentalists warn that the delicate ecosystem is in grave peril due to rising sea levels and the encroachment of industrial development.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.