precarious — not securely held or in position; dependent on chance; uncertain
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: not securely held or in position; dependent on chance; uncertain
Pronunciation (IPA): /prɪˈkeriəs/
Example Sentences
- My job is so precarious that I'm always one dad joke away from getting fired.
- The company's financial situation became increasingly precarious after the CEO bought a golden toilet.
- Living paycheck to paycheck puts many families in a precarious economic position.
precarious
ADJECTIVE[/prɪˈkeriəs/]
not securely held or in position; dependent on chance; uncertain
Placing the heavy glass vase on the very edge of the table put it in a highly precarious position.
PRE(before) + CAR(car) + IOUS(state) — the heavy CAR dangling on the cliff edge PRE(before) falling was in a completely precarious situation.
Laughing wildly at the hilarious joke, the man leaned back and found himself in a precarious balance on two chair legs.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'precarius' meaning 'obtained by begging or entreaty,' derived from 'precari' meaning 'to pray or entreat.' The word originally referred to something held at the discretion of another person, hence uncertain and unstable.
Breakdown
Latin 'precarius' (uncertain, dependent on another's will) + English suffix '-ous' (full of, characterized by) = precarious (uncertain, unstable)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My job is so precarious that I'm always one dad joke away from getting fired.”
“The company's financial situation became increasingly precarious after the CEO bought a golden toilet.”
“Living paycheck to paycheck puts many families in a precarious economic position.”
“The peace treaty created only a precarious calm between the two nations.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.