1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
soon regretted our precipitous actions in international affairs
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2
as in steep
having an incline approaching the perpendicular
a precipitous ski slope that fully merits its triple diamond designation
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Recent Examples of precipitous
Only 17% of Americans have any optimism about the future of the Democratic Party, according to an Associated Press poll this month, a precipitous decline from the 31% who felt that way about a year ago.
—
Susan Page, USA Today, 20 May 2025
At the head of the Royal Mile, which connects the former fortress to the King’s Palace of Holyroodhouse at its eastern end, Edinburgh Castle has been perched atop its precipitous rock since the 1100s.
—Lottie Gross, AFAR Media, 20 May 2025
Which is why it's been hard to witness the precipitous decline of one of its most talented players, Kris Bryant.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
After the precipitous drop in April, Tesla’s sales are down 1% through the first four months of the year.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for precipitous
Susan Page, USA Today, 20 May 2025
At the head of the Royal Mile, which connects the former fortress to the King’s Palace of Holyroodhouse at its eastern end, Edinburgh Castle has been perched atop its precipitous rock since the 1100s.
—Lottie Gross, AFAR Media, 20 May 2025
Which is why it's been hard to witness the precipitous decline of one of its most talented players, Kris Bryant.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
After the precipitous drop in April, Tesla’s sales are down 1% through the first four months of the year.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for precipitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitous
Adjective
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And the hurried pace of the deportations has ignored due process, experts and advocates say.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
10 June 2025
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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
Adjective
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Eight years ago, Hurricane Harvey barreled in off the Gulf of Mexico and lingered, pouring four days of rain over the city of Houston. Unlike North Carolina's steep mountains, Houston is low, barely rising above sea level.—
Laura Sullivan,
NPR,
8 June 2025
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In contrast, late adopters face higher opportunity costs, slower innovation cycles, and steeper learning curves.—
Rhett Power,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Keep a safe distance: Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2025
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After Earps’ announcement, Wiegman was asked what her long-time goalkeeper’s sudden international retirement two months before a major tournament said about the unity of the team.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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These groups are targeted because they are either perceived as trusting, impulsive or unfamiliar with how digital scams operate.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2025
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Similarly to Libra, there are many components to her vibe that juxtapose each other, making her level-headed and impulsive.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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This momentary pause, this saving interruption of the headlong, breathless trajectory of rape or murder, admitted a kind of compassion, pity, even tenderness, halting injustice in its tracks.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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But swirling around it are immigration restrictions, headlong and haphazard reductions in Federal spending and a separate but related confidence shock weighing on consumer behavior.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Stewart’s return partly answered the question of who would host The Daily Show, a question that had been asked for well over a year after Noah’s hasty departure.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
6 June 2025
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And the White House thinks now is a good time to drop everything and do a hasty bilateral trade deal? Trade agreements are wildly complicated affairs in the best of times, taking several months, even years.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Crisp, curly hair indicates a hasty, somewhat impetuous and rash character.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
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Ellie is rash and impulsive; Dina is lovestruck; Jesse is loyal and selfless.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Sadly, the reckless political extremism of mid-20th century America is also having a revival.—
Jane S. Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2025
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The girl’s 47-year-old stepmom is charged with child endangerment and reckless endangerment by discharging a firearm from within a motor vehicle, Shelby County court records show.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitous. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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