as in dangerous
not safe, strong, or steady
He earned a precarious livelihood by gambling. She was in a state of precarious health. The government is in a precarious position. The strong wind almost knocked him off of his precarious perch on the edge of the cliff.
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
as in instability
the quality or state of not being firmly fixed in position
she quickly moved the china teapot after noticing its precariousness on the shelf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of precarious
Farren Fei Yuan, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
Djokovic has made an art form of rallying from precarious positions.
—John Pye, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Katia Riddle, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Filling the gaps Reputable organizations are working to fill the void created by the CDC’s precariousness and the fact that recommendations are now being made based on political will, rather than scientific evidence.
—Jordan Miller, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Adjective
However, the basic formation of training sets—the systematic classification of images—still relies on startlingly rudimentary, tedious, and time-intensive microtasks performed by precarious workers.
—Farren Fei Yuan, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
Djokovic has made an art form of rallying from precarious positions.
—John Pye, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
Adding to the precariousness of her situation, she's had to drive two hours at least once a week to see a specialist in Jackson.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Filling the gaps Reputable organizations are working to fill the void created by the CDC’s precariousness and the fact that recommendations are now being made based on political will, rather than scientific evidence.
—Jordan Miller, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precarious
Adjective
-
More than a billion phones are now ineligible for security updates at a time when the threat landscape has never been more dangerous.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The church opened its warming center over the weekend, anticipating the arrival of the winter storm and the dangerous drop in temperatures.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, instability behind the scenes continued with the late decision to block Fran Garcia’s potential loan to Bournemouth.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Activity rose during spurts of instability, including the recent anti-government protests — until authorities blocked internet access.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the 2024 cycle, North Crowley scheduled Lancaster, DeSoto, Denton Guyer and Rockwall in what was arguably the most treacherous slate in Texas.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Hiking trails that crisscross the island can be slightly more treacherous after rain, but lush forests make for enticing excursions.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Competing on a shredded ligament sounds risky for long-term knee health, but that’s not necessarily the case, Daniel Kaplan, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at NYU Langone Health, tells SELF.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Our reporting reveals that members and related officials have encouraged protesters to impede law enforcement; pushed civilians toward legally and physically risky confrontations; and helped mobilize a counterprotest that turned violent.—
Christina Buttons,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But a month after Maduro’s capture, while some see reason for optimism in the economy and releases of political prisoners, the country remains on an uncertain path.—
CNN 9 hr ago,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Garland’s uncertain availability, and the Cavaliers’ need to get star Donovan Mitchell more scoring help, motivated Cleveland to swap their young floor leader for Harden, who is 10 years older.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous surf and NEVER turn your back on the ocean.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Coming back from the dead can be hazardous to your health.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precarious. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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