precarious
adjective
pre·car·i·ous
| \ pri-ˈker-ē-əs
\
\
Definition of precarious
Keep scrolling for more
Examples of precarious in a Sentence
These states are corrupt and brutal. They are theocracies, or precarious autocracies, or secular totalitarian states: tyrannies all, deniers of freedom, republics of fear, enemies of civility and human flourishing.
— Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 15 Oct. 2001
Such folks led a precarious existence, their homes routinely destroyed in pursuit of a scorched earth policy whenever Florence came under siege.
— R. W. B. Lewis, Dante, 2001
She was the first baby he had ever held; he had thought it would be a precarious experience, shot through with fear of dropping something so precious and fragile, but no, in even the smallest infant there was an adhesive force, a something that actively fit your arms and hands, banishing the fear.
— John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994
He earned a precarious livelihood by gambling.
The strong wind almost knocked him off of his precarious perch on the edge of the cliff.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
At a tech company like Uber, for example, a handful of elite knowledge and managerial workers run the organization and create its technology, while the vast majority of workers labor as precarious drivers without benefits. — Sarah Leonard, The New Republic, "The Fall of the Meritocracy," 5 Sep. 2019 At the start of the day Tuesday, Johnson held a precarious, one-vote majority in Parliament, if only with the 10 seats of a conservative party from Northern Ireland. — Megan Specia, BostonGlobe.com, "Brexit confusion: What is going on in Great Britain?," 4 Sep. 2019 Instead, my late-term pregnancy took a precarious turn. — Nikki Kolb, Glamour, "A Traumatic Birth Forever Changed My First Moments of Motherhood," 4 Sep. 2019 The key demands: Employees want less precarious employment and a voice in setting pay scales, hours, and benefits, according to the GWU website. — Michelle Cheng, Quartz at Work, "Union pushes at places like YouTube and WeWork could transform white-collar work," 1 Sep. 2019 Melting time Part of what makes glacial archaeology such a precarious, time-sensitive discipline is that as more glacial ice melts, temperatures in the surrounding atmosphere are rising steadily as well. — Ritoban Mukherjee, Quartz, "Climate change is bad for the planet, but groundbreaking for archaeology," 30 Aug. 2019 The 40-year-old Bowyer, a 14-year veteran, might be in the most precarious position. — Bob Pockrass, USA TODAY, "As NASCAR regular season winds down, 'silly season' ramps up," 29 Aug. 2019 The precarious location of the body prevented any attempt at recovery, until 2016, when Jess, Erdmann, and Coldiron were descending the Supercanaleta and came across Kellogg. — Nick Heil, Outside Online, "The Tragedy on Howse Peak," 28 Aug. 2019 If Woods’ precarious health makes his struggles extra concerning, Mickelson’s age has the same effect. — Daniel Rapaport, SI.com, "From Augusta to East Lake: 18 Parting Thoughts From the 2019 PGA Tour Season," 26 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'precarious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for precarious
precarious
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of precarious
: not safe, strong, or steady
See the full definition for precarious in the English Language Learners Dictionary
precarious
adjective
pre·car·i·ous
| \ pri-ˈker-ē-əs
\
\
Kids Definition of precarious
: not safe, strong, or steady
precarious balance a precarious journey
precarious
adjective
pre·car·i·ous
| \ pri-ˈkar-ē-əs
\
\
Legal Definition of precarious
: depending on the will or pleasure of another — see also precarious possession at possession
Keep scrolling for more