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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Benjamin Oreskes, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Our livelihoods, endangered by 2021 unemployment insurance reforms, would no longer be so precarious.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 9 May 2025
Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
However, the precariousness of their existence was clear.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Adjective
The issue is precarious for these Republicans, especially Mr. Lawler, who represents parts of Rockland and Westchester Counties and is considering a run for governor next year.
—Benjamin Oreskes, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Our livelihoods, endangered by 2021 unemployment insurance reforms, would no longer be so precarious.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 9 May 2025
Noun
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
However, the precariousness of their existence was clear.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precarious
Adjective
-
Maddison is responsible for dropping deep and pinging passes into dangerous areas, while Kulusevski and Bergvall are excellent ball-carriers.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
-
In the movie, Cruise’s Ethan Hunt must face his most dangerous enemy yet in the form of an AI known as the Entity.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 May 2025
Noun
-
In today’s hyper-connected world, headline after headline about an economic downturn, rising prices and global instability seeps into the workplace, shaping employee morale, workplace culture and even job performance.—
Gyre Renwick,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
-
Inducing opposite-phase steering above 30 or 40 mph could cause drastic instability at speed, creating a very rapid yaw moment that would likely cause an unrecoverable skid.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
The pine trees are towering and the fairways are twisting and the bunkers are deep and treacherous.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2025
-
Maybe the seemingly long haul on I-95 made treacherous by traffic congestion creates the Miami-Dade County and Broward County division among its residents.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
However, bringing a drug to market is not only very expensive with a very lengthy payoff period, the business is also very risky.—
John C. Goodman,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
-
However, with most flights now offering antibacterial wipes and long-haul routes undergoing more extensive cleaning, the routine is arguably not much riskier than applying makeup at home.—
Isabelle Rodney,
CNN Money,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
This phenomenon has been further propelled by ongoing inflation, high interest rates, and an uncertain economic outlook.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
-
In the early, uncertain days of COVID-19, when people were told to stay home to save lives, Lightfoot chose compassion over citations.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
The cities with some of the highest rates of poverty and the most people of color have borne the burden of the state’s hazardous waste facilities.—
Sarah McCoy,
Hartford Courant,
18 May 2025
-
For species such as the American elm, summer pruning is widely recognized as hazardous.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precarious. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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