precipitous

[ pri-sip-i-tuhs ]

adjective

1. of the nature of or characterized by precipices:

   a precipitous wall of rock.

   Antonyms: level, flat

2. extremely or impassably steep:

   precipitous mountain trails.

   Synonyms: perpendicular, sheer, abrupt

   Antonyms: level, flat

3. precipitate.

precipitous

/ prɪˈsɪpɪtəs /

adjective

1. resembling a precipice or characterized by precipices
2. very steep
3. hasty or precipitate

Usage

The use of precipitous to mean hasty is thought by some people to be incorrect

Derived Forms

• preˈcipitousness, noun
• preˈcipitously, adverb

Other Words From

• pre·cipi·tous·ly adverb
• pre·cipi·tous·ness noun
• unpre·cipi·tous adjective
• unpre·cipi·tous·ly adverb
• unpre·cipi·tous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of precipitous¹

1640–50; < obsolete French précipiteux; precipitate, -ous

Example Sentences

In recent weeks, with polls tight and the prospect of a second Trump term looming, shares of Trump Media have massively rebounded from a precipitous fall.

From Los Angeles Times

Today, the college finance landscape is like one of those video games where there is peril at every turn in the form of murderous interest rates and a precipitous middle area where folks are too poor to pay full price but too rich for aid.

From Salon

After a precipitous rise, the waterbed market dried up.

From Los Angeles Times

The legislation, which would have been a first in the United States, advanced in Sacramento as newspapers struggle with precipitous decline and Google battles in federal court over claims that it violated antitrust laws by illegally maintaining a monopoly on web searches.

From Los Angeles Times

The data compiled by Allegretto — which is adjusted for inflation and takes into account the "summers off" issue — shows that the drop in relative compensation has been even more precipitous for female teachers, decreasing from a 3.3% premium pre-1994 to a penalty of 21.4% in 2023.

From Salon

Related Words

• abrupt
• dizzying
• sharp