1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
soon regretted our precipitous actions in international affairs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in steep
having an incline approaching the perpendicular
a precipitous ski slope that fully merits its triple diamond designation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of precipitous
The population of American 18-year-olds is expected to peak this year, followed by a precipitous decline.
—
Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Prize pots have seen a precipitous decline, and those who run the sport seem always to be at war with the betting operators who pour a lot of money in.
—Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Gemini hasn’t mentioned the declining crypto market as a factor in its cost-cutting strategy, though Bitcoin’s precipitous drop has been impacting firms across the industry for months.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
And when, in 1893, the story of the charismatic marquis became that of his precipitous downfall, then the legend began, leading up to the Nazi-fascist rediscovery of Morès in Vichy France.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precipitous
Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Prize pots have seen a precipitous decline, and those who run the sport seem always to be at war with the betting operators who pour a lot of money in.
—Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Gemini hasn’t mentioned the declining crypto market as a factor in its cost-cutting strategy, though Bitcoin’s precipitous drop has been impacting firms across the industry for months.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
And when, in 1893, the story of the charismatic marquis became that of his precipitous downfall, then the legend began, leading up to the Nazi-fascist rediscovery of Morès in Vichy France.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precipitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitous
Adjective
-
Pre-existing structures, supported by documentation and commercial logic, carry far more weight than hurried adjustments made after funds are already exposed.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
They were blown out by the Boston Celtics on Sunday before losing by one at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday when Luka Doncic passed up a three and threw the ball to LeBron James, who missed a hurried, last-second three.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Health officials warn that steep cuts to federal and state homeless services threaten to reverse the progress achieved over the last two years.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Accessibility The paths aren’t paved, and some of the tents, like ours, are up a relatively steep hill.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Little emphasized the need to ease property taxes in a letter accompanying his signature but criticized Moyle’s approach as rushed and overly complex.—
Mark Dee
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
-
May 21 – June 20 Steady, thoughtful sentences are your friend — skip the rushed word vomit!—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Garry Moore, 66, pleaded guilty in January to voluntary manslaughter, a Level 2 felony, under sudden heat.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The dispensing of moral instruction is an often tiresome staple of child-friendly animation, but the lessons that Mabel must learn—to be less impulsive, less strident, and more willing to see the good in others—also turn out to be shrewd organizational and negotiating tactics.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The impulsive reaction to this data is a trap.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Few sectors have been transformed by that headlong rush more than global memory.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
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But with Sleep No More, premiering in Berlin’s Special Midnight section this week, the director makes a headlong plunge into horror — infusing the genre with black comedy and a pointed critique of humanity’s slavish worship of capitalism.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Revisiting a hasty property tax reform House Bill 389 emerged in the waning days of the 2021 legislative session, already the longest in Idaho history.—
Mark Dee
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
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Hatch has also faced criticism from some child welfare advocates, who say the Department of Children and Families has been too hasty to remove medically vulnerable children from their parents and to cut off parental rights.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Both had a fever, a cough, a rash, pink eye, and cold symptoms.—
Andrew Jones,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Both had a fever, a cough, a rash, pink eye, and cold symptoms.—
Andrew Jones,
CNN Money,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitous. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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