precipitous

adjective

pre·​cip·​i·​tous pri-ˈsi-pə-təs 

1

: precipitate sense 2

2

a

: very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging in rise or fall

a precipitous slope

b

: having precipitous sides

a precipitous gorge

c

: having a very steep ascent

a precipitous street

precipitously adverb

precipitousness noun

Synonyms of precipitous

• hurried
• rushed
• sudden
• impulsive
• headlong
• hasty
• rash
• reckless
• rapid
• overhasty
• precipitate
• abrupt

Choose the Right Synonym for precipitous

steep, abrupt, precipitous, sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular.

steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult.

a steep hill

a steep dive

abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level.

a beach with an abrupt drop-off

precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical.

the river winds through a precipitous gorge

sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse.

sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

Examples of precipitous in a Sentence

There has been a precipitous decline in home sales recently.

People were shocked by his precipitous fall from political power.

Recent Examples on the Web

Not only would the ’70s see a precipitous rise of in the number of Hollywood sequels, but any film that managed to cut through the zeitgeist gave birth to handfuls of quick, formulaic, often cheaply made, copycats. — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026

Research hints that this precipitous drop in estrogen may affect how our brains age. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026

On July 10, the Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers and the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies issued a joint statement calling for blood donors, noting supplies were already falling to precipitous levels. — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Stemming the precipitous decline in reading is not a next-generation issue. — Jen Benka, Time, 14 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French précipiteux, from Middle French, from Latin precipitium precipice

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for precipitous

• serendipitous

Kids Definition

precipitous

adjective

pre·​cip·​i·​tous pri-ˈsip-ət-əs 

1

: showing unwise and unnecessary haste : rash

a precipitous act

2

: steep like a precipice

a precipitous slope

precipitously adverb

precipitousness noun