as in hastily
with excessive or careless speed
the sight of swimmers exiting the water precipitously when some joker shouted "Shark!"
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Recent Examples of precipitously
The next, she was being rushed into emergency surgery, her daughter’s heart rate dropping precipitously on the fetal monitor.
—
Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Apple’s revenue soared precipitously in the mid-2010s partly due to strong sales in China.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
In other words, that wouldn’t explain why enrollment has fallen precipitously in the last 12 months or so.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
Suddenly, around 32 miles southwest of Marfa, the pavement ends, the ground drops away precipitously, and the gentle plains give way to craggy rocks and steep, dramatic mountains.
—Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2026
More damning is last week’s UMBC poll, which shows his approval rating in Maryland dropping precipitously, an unexpected slide in what has long been a sleepy Democratic stronghold.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
In some places, fish catches declined precipitously in medium depths, which Joye attributes to nutritionally barren conditions.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Gas prices have risen precipitously since the war’s start, topping $4 per gallon on average.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
The Washington National Opera (WNO), which had been in residence at the Kennedy Center since 1971, also severed its ties in January after ticket sales dropped precipitously.
—Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Apple’s revenue soared precipitously in the mid-2010s partly due to strong sales in China.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
In other words, that wouldn’t explain why enrollment has fallen precipitously in the last 12 months or so.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026
Suddenly, around 32 miles southwest of Marfa, the pavement ends, the ground drops away precipitously, and the gentle plains give way to craggy rocks and steep, dramatic mountains.
—Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2026
More damning is last week’s UMBC poll, which shows his approval rating in Maryland dropping precipitously, an unexpected slide in what has long been a sleepy Democratic stronghold.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
In some places, fish catches declined precipitously in medium depths, which Joye attributes to nutritionally barren conditions.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Gas prices have risen precipitously since the war’s start, topping $4 per gallon on average.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
The Washington National Opera (WNO), which had been in residence at the Kennedy Center since 1971, also severed its ties in January after ticket sales dropped precipitously.
—Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitously
Adverb
-
While Kimmel never formally apologized and no pound of flesh was taken by the administration, the upshot was that Disney was believed to have acted a bit too hastily.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The flags that typically stand behind the podium when the President speaks were hastily brought in.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Many of its fans were seen pretending to drink from them as Arsenal fans hurriedly made their way back to London.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Crews were hurriedly pumping water from a dam in Cheboygan, Michigan, this week, even removing floodgates to relieve pressure.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Meanwhile, be aware that the next six years will bring urges to impulsively travel, and do exciting things to give yourself an adventurous world.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Self-control refers to managing one’s emotions — specifically not acting reflexively and impulsively without thinking through the consequences of one’s actions.—
Anand Kumar,
STAT,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precipitously.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitously. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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