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GRE vocabulary

precarious

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore P words

dangerously uncertain, unstable, or insecure

Word origin: From Latin precarius, obtained by prayer, hence uncertain, from precari, to pray.

In a sentence

Precarious in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing precarious in a sentence.

The company's finances were in a precarious state after the lawsuit.

The startup's finances were so precarious that a single late payment could have ended it.

Synonyms
unstableinsecureperiloustenuous
Antonyms
securestablesafe
Usage & nuance

Using “precarious” well

Precarious stresses instability and the constant risk of collapse, whether literal or figurative.

Common questions

Questions about “precarious

Precarious (adjective) means dangerously uncertain, unstable, or insecure
Here is precarious used in an example sentence: "The company's finances were in a precarious state after the lawsuit." Another example: "The startup's finances were so precarious that a single late payment could have ended it."
Common synonyms for precarious include unstable, insecure, perilous, tenuous.
Antonyms of precarious include secure, stable, safe.
On the GRE, precarious clusters with unstable, insecure, perilous, and tenuous, opposing secure, stable, and safe.
Yes. Precarious is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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