adjective
treacherous
TRECH-er-uhs/ˈtretʃərəs/
Betraying reliance or trust through concealed danger.
The treacherous bridge looks sturdy, but a rotten plank collapses underfoot.
Etymology
Originally describing deceitful people who betrayed trust, the word extended to things that looked fair but could not be trusted. Treacherous conditions similarly conceal danger behind an apparently safe surface.
In context
a stuntman on a motorcycle is blindfolded by the Vodafone team so that he is entirely reliant upon the machine eyes at his mobile device to navigate a treacherous path
More examples
- A thin layer of ice makes the road treacherous.
- The river looks calm, but treacherous currents pull swimmers underwater.
- Her treacherous adviser secretly sells her plans to a rival.
Forms
treacherous · more treacherous · most treacherous
treachery noun — Betrayal of someone's trust or loyalty.
treacherously adverb — In a dangerously deceptive or disloyal way.