precipitous
adjective
pre·cip·i·tous
pri-ˈsi-pə-təs 
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
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
Another similarity to Russia: Ukraine was in a state of precipitous population collapse even before the war, thanks to a combination of plummeting birth rates and out-migration.
—
Joshua Keating, Vox, 18 June 2024
Charting such precipitous shifts are not just within the wheelhouse, but the raison d’etre of the Cannes Lions festival: applauding the style of creative campaigns that are uniquely effective, and examining the substance underneath the ones that aren’t.
—Robert Marich, Variety, 17 June 2024
Underlying the woodrats’ precipitous decline is, unsurprisingly, human development.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2024
Such precipitous loss of power became, in public discourse, intimately bound with immigration and race — rhetoric that continues to play out today — and politicians were only too keen to deflect the blame for societal ills on people of color.
—Balaji Ravichandran, Washington Post, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for precipitous 
Joshua Keating, Vox, 18 June 2024
Charting such precipitous shifts are not just within the wheelhouse, but the raison d’etre of the Cannes Lions festival: applauding the style of creative campaigns that are uniquely effective, and examining the substance underneath the ones that aren’t.
—Robert Marich, Variety, 17 June 2024
Underlying the woodrats’ precipitous decline is, unsurprisingly, human development.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2024
Such precipitous loss of power became, in public discourse, intimately bound with immigration and race — rhetoric that continues to play out today — and politicians were only too keen to deflect the blame for societal ills on people of color.
—Balaji Ravichandran, Washington Post, 12 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for precipitous
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'precipitous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Precipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precipitous. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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