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
Relevance
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
Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
But Poverty Never Left Me Almost every aspect of our life was precarious then.
—Stephanie Land, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Preston Fore, Fortune, 7 July 2025
But the market hustle, the relentless cycle of setup and teardown, and the precariousness of weather, began to wear on them.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Adjective
From 2015 to 2019, 47 semi-truck drivers have crashed on the west side of the mountain pass, and three drivers have been killed in crashes on that precarious stretch of highway, the agency said.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
But Poverty Never Left Me Almost every aspect of our life was precarious then.
—Stephanie Land, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
The episode underscores the precariousness of elite status in Putin’s Russia—and the unpredictable consequences for those who lose the president’s trust.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 7 July 2025
But the market hustle, the relentless cycle of setup and teardown, and the precariousness of weather, began to wear on them.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precarious
Adjective
-
Chicago is facing a dangerous lake-effect snow event early Monday morning.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Two decades ago, when the NFL's base offense consisted of two backs with a blocking tight end and only two wide receivers, an elite cornerback could often take away half of the dangerous receiving options.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Yet today, rising geopolitical instability and a wave of economic nationalism threaten to disrupt the free flows of energy the system relies on — all at a moment when cheaper, cleaner alternatives are available.—
John Kerry,
semafor.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The post 9/11 blunders in which Cheney played a part can be tied to the rise of ISIS, perennial instability in the Middle East, the migrant crisis and the crushing debt burden ($38 trillion and counting) that looms over the US economy.—
Ben Wedeman,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Residents who live in the snow belts should prepare for treacherous driving conditions and near-zero visibility at times through early Tuesday.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
As the first snowstorm of the season fell throughout the province of Ontario, Atletico Ottawa and Cavalry FC competed through treacherous snow and blizzard-like conditions in front of 13,132 fans, making for a remarkable Canadian Premier League Final.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The right-hander generated a ground ball to get the force out at home in an extremely close call, and the very next pitch was a risky fly out tracked down by Andy Pages (who entered the game after the bases were loaded).—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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The seedless doctrine For years, Tangem campaigned against seed phrases as risky and error-prone, arguing that paper or metal backups become a single, theft-prone secret that ordinary people routinely mishandle.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
At the moment, its age is still uncertain.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
-
How Barton will advance his campaigns now is uncertain.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The result, Kahn says, is that parts of Earth’s orbital environment are rife with hazardous objects that can collide with vital space infrastructure.—
Humberto Basilio,
Scientific American,
7 Nov. 2025
-
All seven patients were cleared almost immediately and no hazardous materials turned up on base, Fox News is told.—
Jennifer Griffin , Christina Shaw,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precarious. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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