Synonyms of precipitous

precipitous

adjective

pri-ˈsi-pə-təs 

1

as in hurried

acting or done with excessive or careless speed

soon regretted our precipitous actions in international affairs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hurried
• rushed
• sudden
• impulsive
• headlong
• hasty
• rash
• reckless
• rapid
• overhasty
• precipitate
• abrupt
• cursory
• swift
• drive-by
• makeshift
• flying
• spontaneous
• quick
• breathtaking
• pell-mell
• helter-skelter
• impetuous
• gadarene
• impromptu
• rush
• impatient
• unadvised
• breakneck
• madcap
• speedy
• heady
• headstrong
• hotheaded
• spur-of-the-moment
• slapdash
• horseback
• snap
• offhand
• off-the-cuff
• offhanded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deliberate
• unhurried
• calculated
• prolonged
• measured
• circumspect
• calculating
• long-term
• unrushed
• extended
• tentative
• foresighted
• slow
• hesitant
• faltering
• leisurely
• forethoughtful
• hesitating
• drawn-out
• laggard
• poky
• dallying
• dawdling
• shilly-shallying

2

as in steep

having an incline approaching the perpendicular

a precipitous ski slope that fully merits its triple diamond designation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• steep
• mountainous
• abrupt
• vertical
• sheer
• sloped
• bold
• perpendicular
• craggy
• hilly
• tilted
• plumb
• scarped
• angled
• straight
• tipped
• slanted
• inclined
• heeled
• hillocky
• cocked
• listed
• canted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• gradual
• moderate
• soft
• gentle
• smooth
• flat
• level
• horizontal
• even
• flush
• unruffled
• plane
• unwrinkled

Synonym Chooser

How is the word precipitous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of precipitous are abrupt, sheer, and steep. While all these words mean "having an incline approaching the perpendicular," precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical.

the river winds through a precipitous gorge

When might abrupt be a better fit than precipitous?

The meanings of abrupt and precipitous largely overlap; however, abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level.

a beach with an abrupt drop-off

When is sheer a more appropriate choice than precipitous?

In some situations, the words sheer and precipitous are roughly equivalent. However, sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse.

sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

When would steep be a good substitute for precipitous?

The synonyms steep and precipitous are sometimes interchangeable, but steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult.

a steep hill

a steep dive

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of precipitous

The country saw a precipitous drop in growth last year, owing in part to an attempt to curb inflation via high interest rates deemed excessive by some experts—though other analysts have attributed this decline to a decrease in Moscow’s oil revenues. —Olivier Kempf, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026

Steels shows the team temperature, precipitation and wind graphs, runs through riders’ roles, plays a couple of videos of the same finale in the 2024 edition and points out potential danger points on the stage map, including a precipitous, straight descent. —Andy McGrath, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026

Sure enough, Son did indeed suffer another precipitous fall, though today is once again brimming with braggadocio. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026

Riders of retirement age may no longer have the funds for pricey lift tickets or the joints to take on precipitous headwalls and monster bumps. —Roger Sands, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026