1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
soon regretted our precipitous actions in international affairs
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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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Recent Examples of precipitous
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
The precipitous drop in duties, from 50 percent to 18 percent, aligned India’s tax rate more closely with those of regional rivals like Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 18 Feb. 2026
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
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
Roger Sands, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
The precipitous drop in duties, from 50 percent to 18 percent, aligned India’s tax rate more closely with those of regional rivals like Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 18 Feb. 2026
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
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
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Then in the final seconds of the period, Merrimack turned the puck over in their own zone but Jack Galanek could not stuff his hurried shot home.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
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While consumers worldwide face steep price hikes, Brazilian gasoline prices rose just 5% in March — compared to 30% in the United States.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The beatdown started with a low crawl up King’s steep gravel driveway.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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May 21 – June 20 Steady, thoughtful sentences are your friend — skip the rushed word vomit!—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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The sudden rise of Tyler Ballgame from the Eagle Rock scene is something Perry seems to feel some ambivalence about.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Players admit emotions can get the best of them, leading to impulsive challenges that cost their team later in the game.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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His impulsive decision-making and lack of a strategy for exiting the Iran war are also ingredients for hardship and disaster.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The real threat to Americans is our headlong rush toward normalizing blatant murder, whether that be of nameless occupants of motorboats in the Caribbean, schoolgirls in Iran or United States citizens in the streets of Minneapolis.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
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Few sectors have been transformed by that headlong rush more than global memory.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The discombobulation of college athletics contributed to their hasty exits.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
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That got a little harder when USC canceled a debate set for Tuesday night and hasty plans for a replacement debate fell apart.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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However, before any other officers could arrive on the scene, Pete made the rash decision to cover up Kay’s involvement by shooting the serial killer’s body a couple more times.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Mar. 2026
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Symptoms of measles include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.—
Laura Turbay,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitous. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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