precariously

adverb

pre·​car·​i·​ous·​ly pri-ˈker-ē-əs-lē How to pronounce precariously (audio)
: in a precarious manner
These birds suspend their nests precariously among fine twigs …Michael Hansell
… the privilege of a tiny, precariously poised minority.Derek Bickerton
Waiters in white shirts and black vests roamed, trays balanced precariously but with utmost precision.Noah Charney
… it's now balancing precariously on the brink of extinction and has become the first-ever bumblebee to be declared endangered in the US.Laura Dennison

Examples of precariously in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Once positioned around 100 yards from the shoreline, the bunker now sits precariously at the edge of a steep cliff, with waves reaching its base during high tide. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026 The first transcontinental flight of an airship, the Navy’s enormous USS Shenandoah, terminated, rather precariously, at North Island’s Rockwell Field the following year. Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026 In this regard, the blindfold on Lady Justice seems to be precariously hanging from her head. Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026 Some thought the mystery bore a direct relation to the green tangle that tightly encircled the two dozen shacks balanced precariously between the rain forest and the yellowish waters. Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for precariously

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of precariously was in 1646

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Precariously.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precariously. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

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!