precipitous

adjective

pre·​cip·​i·​tous pri-ˈsi-pə-təs How to pronounce precipitous (audio)
1
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
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
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.
Such is the precipitous fall and virtual disappearance of Stone from the music scene. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2025 At times, their giant trunks appeared to offer the only potential salvation from one wrong move and a plunge over terrifyingly precipitous drops into raging rivers below. Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 5 May 2025 Most of all, the lawyers noticed the precipitous drop in Mary’s weight under county custody. Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 And, much like our collagen, the NAD our body naturally produces starts a precipitous decline by our twenties, debilitated by our lifestyle choices and daily stressors (poor diet, not enough exercise, stress, pollution and so on), dipping steadily with age. Fiorella Valdesolo, Allure, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for precipitous

Word History

Etymology

French précipiteux, from Middle French, from Latin precipitium precipice

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of precipitous was in 1612

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Precipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precipitous. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

precipitous

adjective
pre·​cip·​i·​tous pri-ˈsip-ət-əs How to pronounce precipitous (audio)
1
: showing unwise and unnecessary haste : rash
a precipitous act
2
: steep like a precipice
a precipitous slope
precipitously adverb
precipitousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on precipitous

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!