1
: of great value or high price
precious jewels
2
: highly esteemed or cherished
a precious friend
precious memories
had a precious few hours together
3
: excessively refined : affected entry 2
precious manners
4
: great, thoroughgoing
a precious scoundrel
preciousness
noun
Examples of precious in a Sentence
Adjective
That so many of China's cleverest and most creative men and women had to sell their books and their most precious carvings and family seals to keep themselves alive, while corpulent nationalists and their friends dined well in local banquet halls, gave them some right to schadenfreude.
—
Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China, 2008
Of course, the war pronounces on us all. Some precious glee we seek is absent, the season less substantial, less likeable.
—Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008
The world is, as usual, a frightening place to enter for all save the precious few impaired by inherited security.
—David Mamet, True and False, 1997
… and, though to him those precious moments at the end of each day had symbolized the realization of his every hope, to her they had meant not a goddamn thing.
—Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997
diamonds and other precious stones
We can save precious time by taking this shortcut.
They were able to be together for only a few precious hours.
the family's most precious moments
Adverb
She had precious little to say.
There are precious few hours of sunlight left.
Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China, 2008
Of course, the war pronounces on us all. Some precious glee we seek is absent, the season less substantial, less likeable.
—Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008
The world is, as usual, a frightening place to enter for all save the precious few impaired by inherited security.
—David Mamet, True and False, 1997
… and, though to him those precious moments at the end of each day had symbolized the realization of his every hope, to her they had meant not a goddamn thing.
—Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997
diamonds and other precious stones
We can save precious time by taking this shortcut.
They were able to be together for only a few precious hours.
the family's most precious moments
Adverb
She had precious little to say.
There are precious few hours of sunlight left.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andy McGrath, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
For most retirement portfolios, precious metals work best as a modest slice, meaning a hedge, not a replacement for growth assets.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
The long, lazy off-seasons for travel evaporate, replaced by brief, precious windows—one week here, two weeks there—wedged between school projects and sports schedules.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2026
But this action slows that transition, and time is precious.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precious
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Adjective
There have been precious few setbacks for the fledgling talent, but a significant disappointment was finishing seventh at the 2024 junior world championships road race in Zürich, frozen by cold.
—Andy McGrath, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
For most retirement portfolios, precious metals work best as a modest slice, meaning a hedge, not a replacement for growth assets.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
The long, lazy off-seasons for travel evaporate, replaced by brief, precious windows—one week here, two weeks there—wedged between school projects and sports schedules.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2026
But this action slows that transition, and time is precious.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precious
Cite this Entry
“Precious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precious. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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