precarious

Synonym Chooser

How is the word precarious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of precarious are dangerous, hazardous, perilous, and risky. While all these words mean "bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury," precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

Where would dangerous be a reasonable alternative to precarious?

While in some cases nearly identical to precarious, dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

When is hazardous a more appropriate choice than precarious?

The words hazardous and precarious can be used in similar contexts, but hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

When is it sensible to use perilous instead of precarious?

The synonyms perilous and precarious are sometimes interchangeable, but perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

In what contexts can risky take the place of precarious?

While the synonyms risky and precarious are close in meaning, risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of precarious As yields rise, borrowers—both corporate and individual—find themselves in a precarious position, with ripple effects that could dampen investment and consumer spending. Dan Irvine, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025 The ship’s precarious position also makes the salvage operation unusually complex. Mike Valerio, CNN Money, 31 May 2025 All of this puts the studio and network pipeline programs, which were run by DEI departments to provide training and opportunities to those creatives traditionally underrepresented in entertainment, in a precarious position. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 30 May 2025 The ambiguity around the new policy and other recent decisions has thrown some Chinese students into a precarious position. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for precarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precarious
Adjective
  • At times, the Algerian even operated as a wide forward as O’Neil grappled with a forward injury crisis and identified Ait-Nouri as his most dangerous attacking threat.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • This security problem is dangerous in many sectors of business, including financial, travel, and e-commerce.
    Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Neshaminy Creek, placid in calm weather, turns treacherous after heavy rains, such as those that fell on Bucks County in the days before his accident.
    JD Mullane, USA Today, 29 May 2025
  • The savvy financial advisor Rick Kahler, president of Kahler Financial Group in Rapid City, S.D., tells us how to navigate this treacherous path.
    Larry Light, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • In a way, staying close to the game is the safest route, even if the story itself is more risky.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
  • Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and military officials must know that attacking U.S. targets would be very risky and would lead to a significant response that would likely be even more damaging than Israel’s latest attacks – including putting a potential deal over its nuclear program at risk.
    Javed Ali, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • The impact of the decision is uncertain because immigrants could apply for legal status under other programs.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 13 June 2025
  • The bill now moves to the Senate, where its future is uncertain.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • What To Know There are currently no major wildfires reported in the areas, but officials warned that hazardous conditions could rapidly change this status.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
  • The attempts to reach the group were not successful because of the hazardous conditions, so a boat was deployed to rescue the group, troopers said.
    Paloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Precarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precarious. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on precarious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!