1
Core quality
Very steep; also, sudden, dramatic, and often dangerously rapid.
Example
The path climbed a precipitous slope above the valley.
precipitous
/prɪˈsɪpɪtəs/ · prih-SIP-ih-tusadjective
Very steep; also, sudden, dramatic, and often dangerously rapid.
Use precipitous to express this relationship precisely: very steep; also, sudden, dramatic, and often dangerously rapid.
What precipitous Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
The species suffered a precipitous decline after habitat loss.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
A precipitous drop in demand forced several factories to close.
Use precipitous Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The path climbed a precipitous slope above the valley.
The species suffered a precipitous decline after habitat loss.
A precipitous drop in demand forced several factories to close.
Precision Matters
Precipitous overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
precipitous
vs.Means very steep; also, sudden, dramatic, and often dangerously rapid.
modest
Means limited or moderate in size, amount, ambition, or importance; also, not boastful about oneself.
precipitous
vs.Means very steep; also, sudden, dramatic, and often dangerously rapid.
cumulative
Means formed, increased, or measured through successive additions over time.
precipitous
vs.Means very steep; also, sudden, dramatic, and often dangerously rapid.
transitory
Means temporary and lasting for only a brief or limited period.
precipitous
vs.Means very steep; also, sudden, dramatic, and often dangerously rapid.
abrupt
Means sudden and unexpected; or brief in a way that seems unfriendly.
Test precipitous in Context
The fall was sudden, dramatic, and very steep in scale.
1
Within two months, attendance underwent a ___ fall from nearly full capacity to fewer than twenty visitors a day.