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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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of precarious
Brett Samuels, The Hill, 17 June 2025
The new artistic director begins his role in the midst of a precarious state of the arts both in support from the state of Florida and in the federal government.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 16 June 2025
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2025
Because this clever, funny play is both an attentive ode to Greenspan’s extraordinary artistry as a playwright-performer and an unsparing meditation on the psychic and financial precariousness of playwriting as a creative life.
—Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Adjective
The post marked Vance’s most extensive comments at a precarious moment in the conflict in the Middle East.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 17 June 2025
The new artistic director begins his role in the midst of a precarious state of the arts both in support from the state of Florida and in the federal government.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 16 June 2025
Noun
Recurrent themes running through the selection are motherhood, love and precariousness, and often precariousness linked to motherhood, such as in Adam’s Interest and the other Belgian film Kika.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2025
Because this clever, funny play is both an attentive ode to Greenspan’s extraordinary artistry as a playwright-performer and an unsparing meditation on the psychic and financial precariousness of playwriting as a creative life.
—Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precarious
Adjective
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After landing, the most dangerous times, statistically speaking, are takeoff, approach, and initial climb.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
29 June 2025
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And the Santa Barbara temblor revealed just how dangerous brick buildings built in that era could be.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Advertisement Strikes reinforce Chinese view of U.S. instability China already saw the U.S. under the Trump Administration as an unstable partner, particularly after Trump slammed the world with staggering tariff rates before abruptly reversing course.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
27 June 2025
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Yet the aftershocks of 2008 continue, and today’s economic pressures—rising costs, stagnant wages, global instability—are forcing a reckoning.—
Benjamin van der Lande,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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The storm could bring hazardous travel, power outages, and treacherous trail conditions during a time of year typically dominated by warmer weather and early summer tourism.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
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Having heard rumors of a mythical doctor (played with a chilling calm by Ralph Fiennes) who could possibly help, Spike sneaks off with her for a treacherous expedition to the mainland.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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After multiple years of development invested in most of Booth’s draftees, that type of deal would also be risky in its own right.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
24 June 2025
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Howe may have a change of approach in mind, but such a hefty outlay on a player who doesn’t solve an obvious tactical conundrum is risky at the very least.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Iran’s brief but brutal war with Israel has left its theocratic regime facing an uncertain future.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
25 June 2025
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Now in private practice as co-head of Morrison Foerster’s Securities + Derivatives Regulatory Solutions team and a partner in the firm’s Capital Markets and Broker-Dealer Compliance + Regulation practice groups, Dahiya is in a unique position to help clients navigate complex and uncertain terrain.—
Liane Jackson,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Many analysts believe that robots like the K2 are likely to complement human workers by taking over monotonous or hazardous duties, which allows people to focus on more complex, creative, or supervisory tasks.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2025
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In addition, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration offers a heat safety tool app that warns if conditions are becoming hazardous.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precarious. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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