as in hastily
with excessive or careless speed
the sight of swimmers exiting the water precipitously when some joker shouted "Shark!"
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Recent Examples of precipitously
New iterations and versions of AI systems have caused usage fees to fall precipitously, which the AVA team sees as a key advantage of AI tools given limited court budgets.
—
Jared Perlo, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
After decades of successful cooperation on fighting drug trafficking and transnational crime, relations between Colombia and the United States are at a historic nadir and precipitously getting worse.
—Kevin Whitaker, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
For a century or so, Hollywood has balanced those two elements precipitously.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 8 Dec. 2025
That efficiency drops, precipitously.
—Sam McDowell December 3, Kansas City Star, 3 Dec. 2025
Tourism from China has fallen even more precipitously, going from 119,000 visitors in 2019 to just 54,370 this year.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
In fact, StubHub just recently went public, and its stock has declined precipitously because of these actions.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, the president’s approval ratings have fallen precipitously in numerous polls, with respondents consistently pointing to the high cost of living as a main concern.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2025
Since then, faith in politicians has declined precipitously, while the rise of AI has made the public’s perception ever easier to manipulate.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Jared Perlo, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
After decades of successful cooperation on fighting drug trafficking and transnational crime, relations between Colombia and the United States are at a historic nadir and precipitously getting worse.
—Kevin Whitaker, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
For a century or so, Hollywood has balanced those two elements precipitously.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 8 Dec. 2025
That efficiency drops, precipitously.
—Sam McDowell December 3, Kansas City Star, 3 Dec. 2025
Tourism from China has fallen even more precipitously, going from 119,000 visitors in 2019 to just 54,370 this year.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
In fact, StubHub just recently went public, and its stock has declined precipitously because of these actions.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, the president’s approval ratings have fallen precipitously in numerous polls, with respondents consistently pointing to the high cost of living as a main concern.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2025
Since then, faith in politicians has declined precipitously, while the rise of AI has made the public’s perception ever easier to manipulate.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitously
Adverb
-
Protests were hastily planned in cities across the country after federal officials confirmed Wednesday that Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot during an immigration operation.—
Jamie Landers,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Jan. 2026
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The bill Newsom signed was in response to a law lawmakers hastily passed at the end of the 2024 legislative session, watering down the state’s 55-year-old landmark lemon law.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
29 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
Once doctors hurriedly removed the dangerous tumor growing on his brain, a weeklong hospital stay, months of therapy, and nearly $250,000 worth of medical expenses followed.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
-
But as rumors swirled that the gang was on its way to launch another assault, merchants in the market could be seen hurriedly packing their goods.—
Ychmuth Corneille,
Miami Herald,
21 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Seeking revenge, Onimaru impulsively picks up a demonic sword in a shortcut to power, setting off a grand adventure.—
Kambole Campbell,
Vulture,
9 Dec. 2025
-
After spending weeks volunteering at her local nursing home, Angela can’t help but sympathize with her former father-in-law and impulsively decides to move him into her home with Tommy.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
7 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precipitously.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitously. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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