precarious

[ pri-kair-ee-uhs ]

adjective

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

   a precarious livelihood.

   Synonyms: indeterminate, unsure

   Antonyms: secure

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 dependent on the will or pleasure of another; liable to be withdrawn or lost at the will of another: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: undependable, unreliable, dubious, doubtful

   Antonyms: reliable

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

   the precarious life of an underseas diver.

   Synonyms: hazardous

   Antonyms: safe

4. having insufficient, little, or no foundation:

   a precarious assumption.

   Synonyms: unfounded, baseless, groundless

   Antonyms: well-founded

precarious

/ prɪˈkɛərɪəs /

adjective

1. liable to failure or catastrophe; insecure; perilous
2. archaic.
   dependent on another's will

Derived Forms

• preˈcariousness, noun
• preˈcariously, adverb

Other Words From

• pre·car·i·ous·ly adverb
• pre·car·i·ous·ness noun
• su·per·pre·car·i·ous adjective
• su·per·pre·car·i·ous·ness noun
• un·pre·car·i·ous adjective
• un·pre·car·i·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of precarious¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of precarious¹

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

Synonym Study

See uncertain.

Example Sentences

I realized I’d read them in the archives of one man — a man who died less than three weeks before Crusius’ crime but who, decades before, foresaw this collision of climate change and nativist fears coming and used it to set the country on its precarious course, creating the most powerful anti-immigrant organizations in the country today.

From Salon

He said that the "cumulative effect of decisions over the last decade or so" had put the force in a "more and more precarious position", and some of its buildings would be "unusable" in a few years without further investment.

From BBC

He added that the force was in a "precarious position" because previously used options to "prop up" its budget had run out.

From BBC

After a turbulent week and the dramatic resignation of the man that leads it, the Church of England is trying to take stock at what is a precarious moment.

From BBC

A slim science fiction novel that looks at our “precious and precarious” world through the eyes of six astronauts on the International Space Station has won the 2024 Booker Prize.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dangerous
• delicate
• dicey
• hazardous
• insecure
• perilous
• problematic
• risky
• rocky
• shaky
• slippery
• ticklish
• touchy
• uncertain
• unhealthy
• unreliable
• unsettled
• unstable
• unsteady