Cool MateDangerous vs Lethal
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Dangerous
Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective
Lethal
Top 5,000 (fairly common)C1adjective
Most common: Dangerous
| Dangerous | Lethal | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈdeɪndʒərəs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈdeɪndʒərəs/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈliːθl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈliːθl/"]/ |
| Meaning | likely to cause harm or injury | Something that can cause death. |
| Example | The roller coaster is too dangerous for young children. | She had been given a lethal dose of poison. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | C1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Collocations | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, for, to | be, prove, absolutely, highly, potentially, to, be, prove, absolutely, highly, potentially, to |
| Antonyms | safe, harmless, secure | safe, harmless, non-lethal |
| Common mistakes | Using 'dangerous' when 'risk' or 'hazardous' is more accurate., Confusing 'dangerous' with 'endangered'., Using 'dengerous' as an adverb; it should only be an adjective. | Confused with 'lethal' vs 'fatal'., Using it to describe non-dangerous situations., Incorrectly spelling it as 'leathal'. |
| Usage notes | Use '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. | Use 'lethal' to describe something that can kill, like a weapon or poison. Avoid using it in casual conversations unless discussing serious topics. |
Frequently asked questions: Dangerous vs Lethal
What's the difference between Dangerous and Lethal?
Dangerous: likely to cause harm or injury Lethal: Something that can cause death.
Which is more common: Dangerous and Lethal?
Dangerous is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Dangerous and Lethal?
Lethal is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Dangerous and Lethal the same CEFR level?
Dangerous: A1, Lethal: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Dangerous and Lethal?
Dangerous: adjective, Lethal: adjective.
Can you show an example of each?
Dangerous: The roller coaster is too dangerous for young children. Lethal: She had been given a lethal dose of poison.
Can I use Dangerous and Lethal interchangeably?
Not always. Dangerous and Lethal 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.