Definitions

precarious

[pri-kair-ee-uhs] / prɪˈkɛər i əs /

ADJECTIVE

tricky, doubtful

Synonyms

STRONGEST

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

WEAK

ambiguous borderline chancy contingent dubious dynamite equivocal hairy hanging by a thread iffy impugnable indecisive loaded on thin ice open out on a limb rugged sensitive touch and go unsafe unsure

Antonyms

STRONGEST

certain definite guarded happy healthy protected reliable safe secure settled stable steady strong sure

WEAK

firm undoubted

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But economic life along Route 66 has been precarious since the late 1960s, when interstate highways and chain hotels began stealing traffic away from the older, slower road.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

Taylor Morrison is a safer bet in a precarious home-building market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

The woman said the price of essentials has surged, with sudden and unpredictable increases making daily life increasingly precarious.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

While many seafarers stuck in the region have not been abandoned, the conflict has made an already precarious situation even more dangerous for those who are.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

It’s a huge worry that he cannot dismiss: Theo’s health is terribly precarious.

From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman

Vocabulary lists containing precarious

Grade 11, List 3

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A Doll's House

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John F. Kennedy's Address to the American People on the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

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