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
Forbes senior contributor Mayra Rodriguez Valladares writes overall, Americans are spending more to buy less, and getting into more precarious financial positions.
—
Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
So how does that square with his increasingly precarious political standing?
—David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
Fraser’s explosive performance underlines the immensity of the stakes, balancing every precarious element of this enormous mission.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
But some are taking more than one hardship withdrawal in a year, which indicates a more precarious financial position.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
So how does that square with his increasingly precarious political standing?
—David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
Fraser’s explosive performance underlines the immensity of the stakes, balancing every precarious element of this enormous mission.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
But some are taking more than one hardship withdrawal in a year, which indicates a more precarious financial position.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precarious
Adjective
-
Brith had shut her eyes, finding that the sparks were still living on the inside of the lids, vivid in their dangerous dark.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
Carpenter says the disturbing encounters left her fearful for her safety and that of relatives living with her, as police label the suspect’s fixation irrational and increasingly dangerous.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Installing his defensive ideals will be key to getting the Pels back to being competitive consistently in the treacherous Western Conference.—
William Guillory,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
Many make long commutes over treacherous mountain roads to get to their workplace.—
Ernesto Sagás,
The Conversation,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
The riskiest habit is preheating an empty nonstick pan on high heat.—
Ryan Brennan
June 2,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
-
Using money from depositors who had the right to withdraw their funds on demand to finance long-term, illiquid investments with an uncertain and distant payoff was a highly risky strategy—and one with echoes of what is currently creating turmoil among private credit funds today.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The fate of the House bill is uncertain in the Senate.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
-
And yet, the complex plot comes down to the bond between Albus and Scorpius, who are living in their fathers’ shadows, bullied and uncertain of themselves, as their connections with their dads falter.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Nearly as well-respected as DEET, picaridin is highly effective against the most hazardous mosquito breeds and, notably, won’t damage plastic or some synthetic fibers the way DEET does.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
-
Strong longshore currents can sweep swimmers and surfers into rip currents, piers, jetties and other hazardous areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precarious. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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