2 syllables: Pe, ril. Stress on Pe.
PER-uhl
/ˈpɛɹəl/
Peril is pronounced PER-uhl (/ˈpɛɹəl/). It has two syllables (Pe-ril), with the stress on "Pe". Peril is a noun meaning serious danger or threat. It describes a situation or condition that endangers safety or well-being. In formal or literary contexts, peril often conveys urgency and risk more than everyday danger. It can also appear in phrases like “in peril.”.
nounPeril is a noun meaning serious danger or threat. It describes a situation or condition that endangers safety or well-being. In formal or literary contexts, peril often conveys urgency and risk more than everyday danger. It can also appear in phrases like “in peril.”
"The hikers faced great peril when the storm hit the mountain pass."
"Ignoring the warning signs placed the crew in immediate peril."
"The country stood on the brink of peril during the economic crisis."
Pronounce as /ˈpɛrəl/ in US/UK rhotic varieties and related accents. The first syllable carries primary stress: PER-uhl. Start with a short, open-front vowel in the first syllable, then a light, unstressed second syllable with a schwa-like ending: /ˈpɛ-rəl/. For careful articulation, ensure the 'r' in the first syllable is pronounced crisply (no vowel reduction there). Audio references include standard dictionaries and pronunciation videos. If you listen to native readers, you’ll hear a clean, strong initial consonant cluster /p/ + /ɛ/ followed by a muted /r/ and a trailing schwa in many speakers.
Two frequent errors are turning the first syllable into an elongated, tense vowel (like ‘pair-ill’ /ˈpeərɪl/) and over-pronouncing the second syllable. To correct: keep the first vowel short and open as /ɛ/ (as in ‘pet’), with crisp /p/ and /r/; reduce the second syllable to a weak, unstressed /əl/ or /əl/ without adding a full vowel. Practice with minimal pairs like 'peril' vs 'pearl' and monitor that the second syllable remains light, not overstressed.
In US and UK rhotic varieties, the first syllable remains stressed: /ˈpɛrəl/ or /ˈpeɪrəl/ (depending on vowel choice). US often has a slightly tighter /r/ and a shorter second syllable; UK tends to a clearer /ɜː/ or reduced /ə/ in the second syllable with less rhotic vowel length difference. Australian English typically shows a flatter /æ/ or /eɪ/ in the first vowel with a more centralized second vowel. The key is maintaining the two-syllable rhythm and the crisp onset /p/ with a light /lə/ or /rəl/ ending depending on accent.
Because it pivots on a short, tense first vowel that can drift toward /eɪ/ or /ɛ:/ depending on speaker, and because the second syllable is unstressed yet must be clearly realized as a schwa or a reduced /əl/. The /r/ in the first syllable interacts with preceding vowel in rhotic accents, which changes flow and vowel length. Speakers often overemphasize the second syllable or omit the initial stop release, making it sound like ‘peerl’ or ‘pair-el’. Focus on crisp /p/ release, /ɛ/ or /e/ quality, and a light /əl/ tail.
The word relies on a distinct two-syllable rhythm with a primary stress on the first syllable and a soft, almost muted second syllable. The nuance is avoiding an overt ‘air’ or elongated vowel in the first syllable; keep it compact as /ˈpɛr/ rather than /ˈpeər/. You’ll also want to ensure the second syllable transitions smoothly into a soft, almost neutral vowel. Practicing with a short, clipped second syllable helps separate it from similar words like ‘pearl’.
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Peril comes from the Old French peril, directly from the Latin periculum, meaning ‘danger, danger charge,’ which itself derives from perire ‘to attempt, to risk, to go through, to perish.’ The word entered English in the 13th–14th centuries and originally carried a sense of risk or danger associated with political or military threats. Over time, peril broadened to any situation involving potential harm, physical or moral. In modern English, peril retains a formal or literary tone and often appears in phrases like ‘in peril,’ ‘perilous journey,’ or ‘peril to life and limb.’ Its semantic field sits alongside danger, risk, jeopardy, and hazard, but it is slightly heavier and more dramatic, frequently used in prose, rhetoric, and news reporting to emphasize a serious threat. The evolution reflects shifting attitudes toward risk, from literal life-threatening peril to metaphorical or moral peril in literature and discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Peril" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Peril" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Peril"
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