as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
window washing can indeed be a parlous occupation on a skyscraper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of parlous
Read More: Where Pope Leo Stands on Specific Issues
Pope Leo also faces challenges of a more practical nature, such as the Vatican’s parlous financial state and its diplomatic ties.
—
Aryn Baker, Time, 9 May 2025
Its economic position is parlous, its demographic situation is miserable and its military capacities have atrophied, and most of the chest-thumping about a revival of European power is empty talk and fantasy politics.
—Ross Douthat, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
Such parlous conditions have turned Syrian campuses into hotbeds of corruption and scientific fraud.
—Byrichard Stone, science.org, 23 Dec. 2024
The movie examines the experiences of four Mexican journalists to illustrate the parlous state of the press in Mexico, where at least 165 journalists have been killed or gone missing since 1992.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Aryn Baker, Time, 9 May 2025
Its economic position is parlous, its demographic situation is miserable and its military capacities have atrophied, and most of the chest-thumping about a revival of European power is empty talk and fantasy politics.
—Ross Douthat, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
Such parlous conditions have turned Syrian campuses into hotbeds of corruption and scientific fraud.
—Byrichard Stone, science.org, 23 Dec. 2024
The movie examines the experiences of four Mexican journalists to illustrate the parlous state of the press in Mexico, where at least 165 journalists have been killed or gone missing since 1992.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for parlous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parlous
Adjective
-
More dangerous heat waves The Great Lakes region warmed substantially faster in the six years since the last assessment than it did in decades prior, the report shows.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
-
Here's what each means, according to the NWS: Heat advisory: A heat advisory is the lowest level and is issued for dangerous heat conditions that are not expected to reach the criteria for a more serious alert.—
Chad Murphy,
The Enquirer,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Fire crews sometimes allow lightning-strike fires to burn, and made the decision to do that on the Dragon Bravo Fire, intended to reduce hazardous fuels and vegetation along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
15 July 2025
-
Map of damage: See how the Texas floods unfolded and why Camp Mystic was in a hazardous location The death toll has risen to 129 on Saturday, including more than three dozen children.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
And staffing struggles continue to strain the agencies tasked with policing perilous road behavior.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 July 2025
-
To a Washington bean counter, his loss might have looked like one tiny but welcome subtraction in a giant spreadsheet, but not in a region so prone to these perilous events that it’s known as Flash Flood Alley.—
Zeynep Tufekci,
Mercury News,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
The chairman of the Texas Democratic Party had blunt words for his counterparts in Washington and elsewhere who might be urging Democrats in the Legislature to take politically risky action.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
18 July 2025
-
The key to any retirement investment strategy is to diversify and not place too much in any one asset class, and to rebalance to less risky assets as one nears and enters retirement.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
Adjective
-
This surge in extreme heat drives up energy demand and poses serious health risks to vulnerable populations.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
-
But her feelings begin to shift after Steven gets into a serious car accident.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
Investors seem to be factoring in the best-case scenarios – a precarious position for a company with a limited recent operational track record and significant downside risks.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
-
After that Donlon knew his position was precarious, the lawsuit claims.—
Graham Rayman,
New York Daily News,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Parlous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parlous. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share