English vocabulary · C1
Precarious
/prɪˈkɛr.i.əs/ · adj.
It means not safe or stable.
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Example sentences
- His job grew precarious after the cuts.
- The bridge felt precarious under their weight.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- prec — pray (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- unstable (balance or support can give way)
- risky (danger or failure is likely)
- fragile (easily damaged or broken)
Words with the same root
prec — pray
- pray — to speak to a higher power — to beg or ask
- prayer — the act of speaking to God — a formal request or plea
- deprecate — to express disapproval of — to pray against something
Lesson notes
Precarious. It means not safe or stable. It could fall or fail at any time, with no warning.
Similar words are unstable, risky, and fragile. Use precarious when collapse feels near.
His job grew precarious after the cuts. The bridge felt precarious under their weight.
From Latin. Prec means pray. Precarious means held only by prayer — nothing solid underneath.