precipitous
Dangerously steep or done with excessive haste
Examples
In a meeting
“The precipitous decline in sales caught everyone off guard.”
Over coffee
“That hiking trail was precipitous—I was genuinely nervous going down.”
Why this word
steep
Precipitous emphasizes dangerously or extremely steep, often metaphorically sudden, while steep just means sharply angled
sudden
Precipitous implies both suddenness and dramatic steepness or danger, while sudden only addresses timing
sharp
Precipitous conveys cliff-like danger or abruptness, while sharp is milder and more general about angles or changes
Usage tip
Use to emphasize extreme steepness (literal) or sudden, dramatic change (figurative); implies danger or recklessness.
Etymology
Latin 'praecipitium' meaning 'steep place, headlong fall' from 'praeceps' (headlong, steep)
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