1
: of great value or high price
precious jewels
2
: highly esteemed or cherished
a precious friend
precious memories
had a precious few hours together
3
: excessively refined : affected entry 2
precious manners
4
: great, thoroughgoing
a precious scoundrel
preciousness
noun
Examples of precious in a Sentence
Adjective
That so many of China's cleverest and most creative men and women had to sell their books and their most precious carvings and family seals to keep themselves alive, while corpulent nationalists and their friends dined well in local banquet halls, gave them some right to schadenfreude.
—
Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China, 2008
Of course, the war pronounces on us all. Some precious glee we seek is absent, the season less substantial, less likeable.
—Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008
The world is, as usual, a frightening place to enter for all save the precious few impaired by inherited security.
—David Mamet, True and False, 1997
… and, though to him those precious moments at the end of each day had symbolized the realization of his every hope, to her they had meant not a goddamn thing.
—Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997
diamonds and other precious stones
We can save precious time by taking this shortcut.
They were able to be together for only a few precious hours.
the family's most precious moments
Adverb
She had precious little to say.
There are precious few hours of sunlight left.
Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China, 2008
Of course, the war pronounces on us all. Some precious glee we seek is absent, the season less substantial, less likeable.
—Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008
The world is, as usual, a frightening place to enter for all save the precious few impaired by inherited security.
—David Mamet, True and False, 1997
… and, though to him those precious moments at the end of each day had symbolized the realization of his every hope, to her they had meant not a goddamn thing.
—Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997
diamonds and other precious stones
We can save precious time by taking this shortcut.
They were able to be together for only a few precious hours.
the family's most precious moments
Adverb
She had precious little to say.
There are precious few hours of sunlight left.
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2026
The blush-pink colorway and delicate bow feel feminine without veering overly precious, while the sporty sole lends a casual touch.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026
Nine of the panel’s 18 officials favored at least one interest rate hike this year—a policy move that typically puts downward pressure on the prices of precious metals.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Since sports betting became legal in May 2020, the state has collected more than $154 million in taxes, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board has funneled $140 million to various projects that preserve and conserve Colorado’s precious water.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for precious
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Adjective
Rather than having cluttered and mismatched products taking up precious space, Hamid recommends unifying products.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2026
The blush-pink colorway and delicate bow feel feminine without veering overly precious, while the sporty sole lends a casual touch.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026
Nine of the panel’s 18 officials favored at least one interest rate hike this year—a policy move that typically puts downward pressure on the prices of precious metals.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Since sports betting became legal in May 2020, the state has collected more than $154 million in taxes, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board has funneled $140 million to various projects that preserve and conserve Colorado’s precious water.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for precious
Cite this Entry
“Precious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precious. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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