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View synonyms for

precarious

[ pri-kair-ee-uhs ]

adjective

  1. dependent on circumstances beyond one's control; uncertain; insecure:

    a precarious livelihood.

    Synonyms: ,

    Antonyms:

  2. dependent on the will or pleasure of another; liable to be withdrawn or lost at the will of another:

    He held a precarious tenure under an arbitrary administration.

    Synonyms: , , ,

    Antonyms:

  3. exposed to or involving danger; dangerous; perilous; risky:

    the precarious life of an underseas diver.

    Synonyms:

    Antonyms:

  4. having insufficient, little, or no foundation:

    a precarious assumption.

    Synonyms: , ,

    Antonyms:



precarious

/ ɪˈɛəɪə /

adjective

  1. liable to failure or catastrophe; insecure; perilous
  2. archaic.
    dependent on another's will
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈdzܲԱ, noun
  • ˈdzܲ, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • ···dzܲ· adverb
  • ···dzܲ·Ա noun
  • ·····dzܲ adjective
  • su·per····dzܲ·Ա noun
  • ܲ····dzܲ adjective
  • un····dzܲ·Ա noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of precarious1

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin ܲ “obtained by entreaty; given as a favor; borrowed; uncertain”; prayer 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of precarious1

C17: from Latin ܲ obtained by begging (hence, dependent on another's will), from prex prayer 1
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The house was simply gone, save the precarious, towering chimney and the massive concrete pillars that had supported the front porch.

From

But even without that devastating emergency, there are other signs that the city has entered a precarious period.

From

Pulling employees from crucial offices when the agency is already at a 50-year-low in staff puts benefits in a precarious place, he told Salon.

From

Trump’s erratic trade policies and threats to withhold federal funds from California, from public health funding to support for schools, have made predicting revenues even more precarious than usual.

From

Chad Lawton, sitting in his office at the local union, takes a deep breath as he contemplates how precarious his life feels.

From

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precariatprecariously