Dangerous vs Lawless and terrifying

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Dangerous

Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective

Lawless and terrifying

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Dangerous
 DangerousLawless and terrifying
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ˈdeɪndʒərəs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈdeɪndʒərəs/"]/🇬🇧 //ˈlɔːləs ənd ˈtɛrɪfaɪɪŋ//🇺🇸 //ˈlɔːləs ənd ˈtɛrəˌfaɪɪŋ//
Meaninglikely to cause harm or injuryWithout laws and very scary.
ExampleThe roller coaster is too dangerous for young children.The abandoned town felt lawless and terrifying as night fell.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelA1-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsbe, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, for, tolawless society, terrifying experience, lawless conditions, terrifying terrain, lawless environment
Antonymssafe, harmless, secure-
Common mistakesUsing 'dangerous' when 'risk' or 'hazardous' is more accurate., Confusing 'dangerous' with 'endangered'., Using 'dengerous' as an adverb; it should only be an adjective.Confusing with 'lawful and safe'., Using in non-descriptive contexts., Mispronouncing when reading aloud.
Usage notesUse 'dangerous' to describe things that can cause harm. It's appropriate in most contexts, but be cautious in very casual situations where simpler words may work better.Used to describe places or situations lacking order and safety. Often used in storytelling or dramatic contexts.

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Dangerous
Lawless and terrifying

Frequently asked questions: Dangerous vs Lawless and terrifying

What's the difference between Dangerous and Lawless and terrifying?

Dangerous: likely to cause harm or injury Lawless and terrifying: Without laws and very scary.

Which is more common: Dangerous and Lawless and terrifying?

Dangerous is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Dangerous: The roller coaster is too dangerous for young children. Lawless and terrifying: The abandoned town felt lawless and terrifying as night fell.

Can I use Dangerous and Lawless and terrifying interchangeably?

Not always. Dangerous and Lawless and terrifying are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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