precarious
47
7.6
- adjective
- /prɪˈkɛəriəs/
:
precario
- So again, we're in a messy, precarious time.
- in a precarious position
- a precarious situation
- in a precarious condition
Now we're living in that in a very precarious democracy at best.
- Now we're living in that in a very precarious democracy at best.
- They left Syria because it was now precarious to be Jewish in Syria.
- We put ourselves in a very precarious place.
- And they live quite often a precarious existence.
- And so, you know, we live in fairly precarious times.
- And this was a very precarious moment for him to maintain control of Russia.
- So I have become very aware of just how precarious this is.
- I hope this greets you with health and well-being as we navigate this precarious moment together.
- People they know are losing their jobs, their healthcare could be in a precarious situation.
- So again, we're in a messy, precarious time.
- It can be uniquely shaming and you realize that the whole thing was precarious and conditional.
- That looks like a particularly precarious single stack of books that you've got next to you.
- You realize, Adam, you just described very psychologically precarious situation for yourself, don't you think?
Examples
-
With Obamacare not being fully functional, they are in a precarious position.
Academic text (2015) -
Israel is a small state, and historically, such states have had a precarious existence.
Academic text (2013) -
But as I keep saying, we are in a more precarious situation now.
-
But his situation is more precarious than it seems.
-
We put ourselves in a very precarious place.
-
And now, hey, it's looking a little bit precarious here that our business might go under.
-
I also want you to understand how precarious the situation is.
-
I would do that, but we're in a very precarious world situation right now.
-
And they live quite often a precarious existence.
-
The way the glass is placed on the edge of the table is precarious.
Synonyms
∞
1.5
Likely to cause harm or injury
269
3.6
Likely to cause loss, harm, or danger
80
4.4
Not steady and likely to change, fail, or fall
53
3.3
Not firm or safe and likely to fail
43
7.5
Full of danger that could cause harm
36
3.6
Unsteady and likely to move from side to side
30
8.5
Likely to be risky or dangerous because the outcome is uncertain
9
7.2
A situation that is dangerous or uncertain until the last moment
8
7.5
Unsteady and likely to fall over easily
1
9.9
Full of danger or likely to cause harm
In a very risky situation where failure can happen at any moment
Shaky and likely to fall over when you touch it
Likely to wobble or break, like a weak chair
Not firmly fixed and likely to come loose
Antonyms
How Precarious
Surface Forms
Etymology
Precarious comes from the Latin verb precari and its root prex, which mean 'to ask' and 'prayer'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of something 'left to prayer' or 'left to chance', so it is unsure and likely to fall or fail, and therefore means risky, unstable, or not safe.