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onerous - Oppressively heavy or troublesome, often involving responsibility or duty.

The manager gave him an onerous task that took the entire week to finish, working late into each night.

adjective

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thorny - Causing distress, difficulty, or trouble.

The negotiating teams were up all night trying to resolve some final thorny issues that had to be resolved.

adjective

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pernicious - Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.

People used to think that smoking was good for you because it seemed calming, but now we realize that its pernicious effects are deadly over time.

noun

See verb

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breach - An act of breaking a law, rule, or agreement.

I didn't trust him after he shared my secret, in what I regarded as a breach of trust.

verb

See noun

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slip - To lose balance and slide or fall accidentally.

She slipped on the icy sidewalk and fell.

verb

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loom - To appear as a dangerous event that might happen in the near future

Joe looked at the economic data, and could sense a recession looming in the near future.

noun

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tailspin - A rapid loss of control, a state of confusion, panic, or chaos, a sudden and dramatic decline or failure.

Because of engine trouble, the plane suddenly went into a tailspin, and the pilot struggled to regain control.

noun

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deadline - A specific time or date by which something must be completed.

She worked well under pressure and always met every deadline on time.

noun

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casualty - A person killed or injured in a war or accident.

Though many people were injured when the bus crashed, thankfully there were no casualties.

noun

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brinkmanship - The art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, typically in politics

At the height of the Cold War, both sides engaged in a risky brinkmanship that nearly cost millions of lives.

noun

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peril - Serious and immediate danger

Roger was aware of the peril of shark-infested waters, but he truly realized it when it was too late.

noun

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abyss - A deep or seemingly bottomless hole or chasm.

He stood at the cliff's edge, staring into the black abyss, and he felt a mixture of awe, fear, and amazement.