1
as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
soon regretted our precipitous actions in international affairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in steep
having an incline approaching the perpendicular
a precipitous ski slope that fully merits its triple diamond designation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 precipitous
That was before markets took a precipitous drop when Trump announced on April 2 widespread tariff hikes on America’s trading partners.
—
Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
Beyond that, Acheampong’s rapid rise and equally precipitous fall in the first two weeks of January lent itself to the more cynical notion that Maresca might have wanted to send a message to Chelsea about the need for defensive reinforcements in the winter market.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Several successive days of precipitous declines were broken Wednesday by one of the biggest one-day gains in Wall Street history.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
After peaking in the 1990s, the U.S. shrimp industry has faced a precipitous decline over the past 15 years.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precipitous
Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
Beyond that, Acheampong’s rapid rise and equally precipitous fall in the first two weeks of January lent itself to the more cynical notion that Maresca might have wanted to send a message to Chelsea about the need for defensive reinforcements in the winter market.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Several successive days of precipitous declines were broken Wednesday by one of the biggest one-day gains in Wall Street history.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
After peaking in the 1990s, the U.S. shrimp industry has faced a precipitous decline over the past 15 years.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precipitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitous
Adjective
-
This comes as the Trump administration has faced growing criticisms for its hurried proceedings to remove as many noncitizens from the country as quickly as possible.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2025
-
In Alentejo, food is meant to be shared, and time at the table is never hurried, and this is a central element of the experience at São Lourenço do Barrocal.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Idaho residents’ property taxes have seen steep increases amid the area’s rapid population growth in recent years, especially in the Treasure Valley, the Statesman previously reported.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
15 May 2025
-
Constellation, which Berkshire first invested in during the fourth quarter of 2024, recently came under pressure after President Donald Trump announced steep tariffs on Mexican imports.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
The two global superpowers’ sudden doubling of tariffs in early April forced some businesses to halt production, raising questions about whether supply chains would be able to resume work in time to get products on the shelves for Christmas.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
13 May 2025
-
The boom in housing demand during these years resulted in a sudden surge in home values and prices in the state, which in turn encouraged an explosion in new construction projects.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
To tell the story of a middle-aged man’s impulsive leap into restaurant ownership, he’s gathered an accomplished cast wielding effortless charm.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2025
-
Could this change in spending from non-essential items to more essential ones mean a realignment away from impulsive internet purchases and toward more bare essentials?—
Roger Valdez,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
In his headlong rush to success, an oddball comedian abandons his most loyal allies.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
7 May 2025
-
In his headlong rush to replace Pax Americana with America First, Mr. Trump has left the world fumbling to adjust to a new landscape, the contours of which are still in flux.—
Mark Landler,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Resolving these tensions requires genuine leadership – not hasty amendments.—
Philip Salter,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
-
While some parents might rush to force their kids to make a hasty and superficial apology–or even non-apology–taking an engaged approach instead of a reactive one allowed this father and son to make a sincere attempt at amends that took into account the other person’s feelings.—
Christian Dashiell,
Parents,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Those qualities also led to some mistimed tackles and rash decisions, but Casado will be a better player for this season.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
-
Dear Abby: My cousin (more like a sister) has made some extremely rash and concerning choices over the last year.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Youngest brother Dante is reckless and indebted to dangerous criminals.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
-
On Sunday, officers arrested the suspect in South San Francisco and booked him into San Mateo County jail on charges of hit-and-run causing injury and reckless evading.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitous. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share