precipitous

adjective

pre·​cip·​i·​tous pri-ˈsi-pə-təs 

1

: precipitate sense 2

2

a

: very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging in rise or fall

a precipitous slope

b

: having precipitous sides

a precipitous gorge

c

: having a very steep ascent

a precipitous street

precipitously adverb

precipitousness noun

Synonyms of precipitous

• hurried
• rushed
• sudden
• impulsive
• headlong
• hasty
• rash
• reckless
• rapid
• overhasty
• precipitate
• abrupt

Choose the Right Synonym for precipitous

steep, abrupt, precipitous, sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular.

steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult.

a steep hill

a steep dive

abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level.

a beach with an abrupt drop-off

precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical.

the river winds through a precipitous gorge

sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse.

sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

Examples of precipitous in a Sentence

There has been a precipitous decline in home sales recently.

People were shocked by his precipitous fall from political power.

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Prize pots have seen a precipitous decline, and those who run the sport seem always to be at war with the betting operators who pour a lot of money in. —Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026

Gemini hasn’t mentioned the declining crypto market as a factor in its cost-cutting strategy, though Bitcoin’s precipitous drop has been impacting firms across the industry for months. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French précipiteux, from Middle French, from Latin precipitium precipice

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for precipitous

• serendipitous

Kids Definition

precipitous

adjective

pre·​cip·​i·​tous pri-ˈsip-ət-əs 

1

: showing unwise and unnecessary haste : rash

a precipitous act

2

: steep like a precipice

a precipitous slope

precipitously adverb

precipitousness noun