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.
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Recent Examples of precarious
Costs continue to rise, services continue to be cut, safety seems precarious.
—
Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
The Kansas Department of Commerce is defending its plan to heavily subsidize the Kansas City Chiefs’ next stadium against critics who say the deal’s terms could potentially leave the state in a financially precarious position.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
Despite its deathly reputation, Mount Baldy is oftentimes neither a particularly precarious mountain nor an especially treacherous trail.
—Outside, 8 Jan. 2026
The global backlash In an age of protectionism, exports are a precarious basis for growth.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
The Kansas Department of Commerce is defending its plan to heavily subsidize the Kansas City Chiefs’ next stadium against critics who say the deal’s terms could potentially leave the state in a financially precarious position.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
Despite its deathly reputation, Mount Baldy is oftentimes neither a particularly precarious mountain nor an especially treacherous trail.
—Outside, 8 Jan. 2026
The global backlash In an age of protectionism, exports are a precarious basis for growth.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precarious
Adjective
-
Placing your carbon monoxide detector in the proper location can alert you to dangerous levels of the invisible gas, which is unfortunately more likely to occur with the use of personal space heaters.—
Shivani Vyas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
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The Charlotte region faces a harsh night on Thursday, including dangerous wind chills, according to the National Weather Service.—
Mark Price
January 13,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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As challenging and treacherous as international politics could be, Janet didn’t want to return to North Iowa.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The Traitors season 4 Ready for more shocking betrayals, treacherous twists and cold-blooded murder — but with your favorite reality TV stars and celebrities?—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The system focuses on physical interception rather than electronic warfare, addressing scenarios where jamming proves ineffective or risky.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Directed by Steven Lisberger, the movie leans hard into CGI at a time when that was still considered risky and experimental.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Soltani's uncertain fate garnered international attention after activists said his family had been told he would be executed for involvement in the anti-government protests that swept across the Islamic Republic in early January.—
Tucker Reals,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
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While the future of the IT workforce appears uncertain, its non-human partners are set to thrive as companies increasingly adopt new technologies.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Hadi of the weather service said those increasing winds could create hazardous marine conditions in South Florida, so swimmers and boaters should stay aware.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
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The hazardous conditions could impact the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning commutes.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precarious. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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