precipitous

adjective

pri-ˈsi-pə-təs How to pronounce precipitous (audio)
Definition of precipitousnext
1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed soon regretted our precipitous actions in international affairs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in steep
having an incline approaching the perpendicular a precipitous ski slope that fully merits its triple diamond designation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word precipitous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of precipitous are abrupt, sheer, and steep. While all these words mean "having an incline approaching the perpendicular," precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical.

the river winds through a precipitous gorge

When might abrupt be a better fit than precipitous?

The meanings of abrupt and precipitous largely overlap; however, abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level.

a beach with an abrupt drop-off

When is sheer a more appropriate choice than precipitous?

In some situations, the words sheer and precipitous are roughly equivalent. However, sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse.

sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

When would steep be a good substitute for precipitous?

The synonyms steep and precipitous are sometimes interchangeable, but steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult.

a steep hill
a steep dive

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 precipitous Across Tigray, hunger is widespread, a problem that has been compounded by the precipitous decline in U.S. humanitarian assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development. —Mulugeta Gebrehiwot Berhe, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2025 All three indices had seen precipitous drops earlier in the day after the news of Powell’s imminent firing broke. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 16 July 2025 The region dominated America’s iron and steel production before its precipitous decline as companies failed to adopt new technologies, says Chris Briem, an economist at the University of Pittsburgh. —Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025 But the coin, known as $TRUMP, suffered a precipitous drop in the ensuing weeks, bottoming out in April at around $7. —Jay O'Brien, ABC News, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for precipitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitous
  1. hurried
  2. steep
  3. rushed
  4. sudden
  5. impulsive
  6. headlong
  7. hasty
  8. rash
Adjective
  • Foster’s hurried firing on Sunday morning comes after his hurried hiring in February 2024, his placement a band-aid one week after Chip Kelly bolted to be offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The Chiefs blitzed just to force a hurried throw from Hurts.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of hurried
Adjective
  • Low User Adoption Due To Poor Onboarding The primary hurdle is often low user adoption due to poor onboarding and a steep learning curve.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The hidden gem is packed with steep deals on cool-weather necessities at shockingly reasonable prices.
    — Jamie Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of steep
Adjective
  • These alternatives can often provide a richer, less rushed experience than a whirlwind day trip to Paris.
    — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The Dolphins had two delay-of-game penalties and a rushed play during their unsuccessful final two drives against New England.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of rushed
Adjective
  • Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
    — CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • And then all of a sudden, the pick.
    — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • Bold steps need calculated moves, not impulsive reactions.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Ari is a rich kid from New York, who is an impulsive motormouth desperate for Sam’s affection.
    — Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Definition of impulsive
Adjective
  • In the headlong rush for technological supremacy, strange new risks are being created.
    — Billy Perrigo, Time, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Befitting the down-and-out semis, Analog Devices put up good numbers, causing a headlong rush into internet of things (IoT).
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2025
Definition of headlong
Adjective
  • Authorities said Robinson allegedly sniped Kirk from a position on top of the Sorensen Student Center, several hundred feet away from him, and then made a hasty retreat into a nearby neighborhood.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The Oriental Theater’s longtime landlord, The Sager Family, had alerted them to the Federal Theatre’s availability in late 2023, following the hasty departure of a church that had occupied the building for several years.
    — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2025
Definition of hasty
Adjective
  • Burnt out and fed up with her untameable class of 10-year-olds, Maria tussles with an increasingly naughty student, Danny (played wonderfully by young newcomer Eddie Waller), and makes a rash decision to keep him captive in her basement.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The acute phase may last weeks or months and often goes unnoticed, though some people develop fever, fatigue, body aches, rash or swelling around the bite site, the CDC says.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of rash

Browse Nearby Words

precipitation
precipitous
precipitously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Precipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitous. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on precipitous

Nglish: Translation of precipitous for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Putting Adjectives in the Right Order

A Guide to Using Semicolons
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

Color Words to Describe Autumn Leaves

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

12 Words Whose History Will Surprise You
See More

Popular

See More

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

Color Words to Describe Autumn Leaves
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
vector image of a face with thought expression
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Take a (break/brake) and (pore/pour) over this (c...
See All