precipitate 1 of 3

precipitate

2 of 3

noun

precipitate

3 of 3

verb

as in to rain
to fall as water in a continuous stream of drops from the clouds the air mass was dry, as much of the moisture had precipitated out on the other side of the mountains

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective precipitate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of precipitate are abrupt, headlong, impetuous, and sudden. While all these words mean "showing undue haste or unexpectedness," precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action.

the army's precipitate withdrawal

When is it sensible to use abrupt instead of precipitate?

Although the words abrupt and precipitate have much in common, abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony.

an abrupt refusal

When is headlong a more appropriate choice than precipitate?

While the synonyms headlong and precipitate are close in meaning, headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought.

a headlong flight from arrest

When would impetuous be a good substitute for precipitate?

The words impetuous and precipitate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness.

an impetuous lover proposing marriage

When can sudden be used instead of precipitate?

The meanings of sudden and precipitate largely overlap; however, sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action.

flew into a sudden rage

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of precipitate
Adjective
An additional factor that has been increasingly in the mix is that old and deteriorating dam infrastructure can fail amidst excessive rainfall events and precipitate catastrophic flooding. Sarah Raza, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023 Those updates references – and the series of chases, Rube Goldberg mechanisms, and bits of derring-do they all precipitate – also allowed the filmmaking to push their formal boundaries. Ben Croll, Variety, 14 June 2023
Noun
As the water increases in temperature, CaCO3 undergoes a chemical reaction and precipitates out of the water, forming incrustants, or little crystals. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 14 Mar. 2024 Gadgil and his students have been exploring several methods to perform the actual arsenic removal, generally involving binding up the poison into a precipitate that can be filtered. Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2015
Verb
The closure came just weeks before a radar outage that precipitated a staffing shortage — a trifecta of maladies that lead to a May meltdown for New Jersey travelers. Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 2 June 2025 For those individuals living paycheck to paycheck, a job loss, divorce, medical emergency, pending foreclosure or wage garnishment may precipitate the need to file bankruptcy. Jonathan Carson, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for precipitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitate
Adjective
  • Yet in spite of its rather hurried origins, it’s gone on to become a General Motors success story in the quarter-century since it was created.
    Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 17 June 2025
  • And the hurried pace of the deportations has ignored due process, experts and advocates say.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • The result is a versatile cooker for waffles, pancakes, meat, veggies, and kinda whatever.
    Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 29 June 2025
  • The state police and Correction and Community Services’ Office of Special Investigations probes any in-custody death that isn’t the result of natural causes, Whittaker said.
    John Annese, New York Daily News, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • Some of the sediment layers contained the remains of ancient grass seeds mixed with the sediment.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025
  • In fact, the waters here owe their otherworldly hue–which shifts from bright white to turquoise, cobalt and ultramarine–to a mineral-rich marine plant called Oceanic Posidonia that maintains the quality and oxygenation of the Balearic Sea by filtering the sediments.
    Isabelle Kliger, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Boos rained down much of the evening, with frustration directed at the referees and the Checkers’ inability to convert on their powerplay opportunities.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2025
  • These included fake clips showing the aftermath of Iranian strikes, while another showed missiles raining down on Tel Aviv.
    Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • After cooling, the resultant solid was ground into powder to produce the final pigment.
    Jay Kakade June 14, New Atlas, 14 June 2025
  • Meanwhile caretakers are concerned with something that can be even more challenging to address: the psychological trauma resultant from years of abuse in captivity.
    Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Quoting from Ormond’s deposition testimony, CAA states that Weinstein pressured Ormond to join him in his London hotel suite in 1994.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 24 June 2025
  • Biden’s longtime physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, is slated to appear for a deposition on July 9.
    Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Drugmakers have poured billions of dollars into developing ADCs.
    Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 17 June 2025
  • But as donations continued to pour in from well-wishers, the target was raised to $370,000, and more than $358,000 has been donated so far.
    Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • In Ron DeSantis’ Florida, there’s no room for rash criticism of that policy.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2025
  • The Dodgers stormed back once again from a deficit, this time at home at Dodger Stadium, scoring four runs in the sixth inning to knock off the Yankees, 8-5, in the first of a three-game set that’ll draw more rash reactions than are probably warranted.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Precipitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitate. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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