precipitate 1 of 3

precipitate

2 of 3

noun

precipitate

3 of 3

verb

as in to rain
to fall as water in a continuous stream of drops from the clouds the air mass was dry, as much of the moisture had precipitated out on the other side of the mountains

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective precipitate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of precipitate are abrupt, headlong, impetuous, and sudden. While all these words mean "showing undue haste or unexpectedness," precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action.

the army's precipitate withdrawal

When is it sensible to use abrupt instead of precipitate?

Although the words abrupt and precipitate have much in common, abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony.

an abrupt refusal

When is headlong a more appropriate choice than precipitate?

While the synonyms headlong and precipitate are close in meaning, headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought.

a headlong flight from arrest

When would impetuous be a good substitute for precipitate?

The words impetuous and precipitate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness.

an impetuous lover proposing marriage

When can sudden be used instead of precipitate?

The meanings of sudden and precipitate largely overlap; however, sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action.

flew into a sudden rage

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 precipitate
Adjective
An additional factor that has been increasingly in the mix is that old and deteriorating dam infrastructure can fail amidst excessive rainfall events and precipitate catastrophic flooding. Sarah Raza, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023 Those updates references – and the series of chases, Rube Goldberg mechanisms, and bits of derring-do they all precipitate – also allowed the filmmaking to push their formal boundaries. Ben Croll, Variety, 14 June 2023
Noun
As the water increases in temperature, CaCO3 undergoes a chemical reaction and precipitates out of the water, forming incrustants, or little crystals. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 14 Mar. 2024 Gadgil and his students have been exploring several methods to perform the actual arsenic removal, generally involving binding up the poison into a precipitate that can be filtered. Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2015
Verb
Austin Riley’s one-out walk precipitated Matt Olson’s two-run blast in the first, and Marcell Ozuna hit one over and past the Green Monster to extend the lead to 3-0. Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 18 May 2025 In the midst of the ensuing 25 minutes with reporters, Payton copped to the mishap that precipitated the light-hearted exchange. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for precipitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitate
Adjective
  • And the hurried pace of the deportations has ignored due process, experts and advocates say.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 10 June 2025
  • The stereotype of the hurried retail investor making split-second decisions based on little more than a hunch has been confirmed by groundbreaking academic research.
    Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • The result is more of a finer bar-and-grill — note that’s the new name — with dinners for $20-$40.
    Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 June 2025
  • Similar tests on reefs in the Florida Keys have been conducted, with mixed preliminary results, likely due to regional differences in SCTLD.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • The three mosaics were discovered beneath several feet of sediment alongside what appear to be stone walls, photos show.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
  • The team of Spanish researchers spotted the oblong rock below 5 feet (1.5 meters) of sediment during an excavation in July 2022 and reported their findings in a paper published May 24 in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.
    Rosa Rahimi, CNN Money, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • On Sunday, June 8, a cracked glass panel installed above the pool deck of Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas gave way, raining down shards on the lounge chairs of the deck below.
    Moná Thomas, People.com, 11 June 2025
  • Heather there in her glittering vintage dress while the raining confetti mixes with the snow around them, leeching into it, dying it colors.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile caretakers are concerned with something that can be even more challenging to address: the psychological trauma resultant from years of abuse in captivity.
    Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
  • Show how data from customers/employees contributes to product innovations; present plans for sharing resultant value. 2.
    James Felton Keith, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In the investigation’s latest escalation, Comer subpoenaed Biden’s physician for a deposition later this month.
    Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 9 June 2025
  • The judge overseeing the dispute, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, had ordered DOGE to turn over certain documents to the watchdog group by June 3 and to complete all depositions, including of Gleason, by June 13.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Moving quickly, slowly pour the hot sugar mixture, a ¼ cup at a time, into the sugar-egg mixture while whisking by hand continuously to temper the eggs.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 6 June 2025
  • All told, venture capital investors and private equity firms poured $3.1 billion to fund 144 deals in the L.A. area in the first quarter of this year, up 15% from a year ago, according to research firm CB Insights.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Crisp, curly hair indicates a hasty, somewhat impetuous and rash character.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
  • Ellie is rash and impulsive; Dina is lovestruck; Jesse is loyal and selfless.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Precipitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitate. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.

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