Synonyms for precarious
prɪˈkɛər i əspre·car·i·ous

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.5 / 4 votes

1. precarious

   Uncertain is applied to things that human knowledge can not certainly determine or that human power can not certainly control; precarious originally meant dependent on the will of another, and now, by extension of meaning, dependent on chance or hazard, with manifest unfavorable possibility verging toward probability; as, one holds office by a precarious tenure, or land by a precarious title; the strong man's hold on life is uncertain, the invalid's is precarious.

   Synonyms:
   doubtful, dubious, equivocal, hazardous, insecure, perilous, risky, unassured, uncertain, unsettled, unstable, unsteady

   Antonyms:
   actual, assured, certain, firm, immutable, incontestable, infallible, real, settled, stable, steady, strong, sure, undeniable, undoubted, unquestionable

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. precarious

   Synonyms:
   hazardous, peril, ous, uncertain, riskful, unassured, insecure, dubious, doubtful

   Antonyms:
   assured, certain, systematic, safe, immutable

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. precarious, unstableadjective

   affording no ease or reassurance

   "a precarious truce"

   Synonyms:
   mentally ill, perilous, parlous, shaky, unstable, touch-and-go, unsound, fluid

   Antonyms:
   safe, secure, easy

2. parlous, perilous, precarious, touch-and-goadjective

   fraught with danger

   "dangerous waters"; "a parlous journey on stormy seas"; "a perilous voyage across the Atlantic in a small boat"; "the precarious life of an undersea diver"; "dangerous surgery followed by a touch-and-go recovery"

   Synonyms:
   parlous, perilous, touch-and-go, unstable, shaky

   Antonyms:
   easy, secure, safe

3. precarious, shakyadjective

   not secure; beset with difficulties

   "a shaky marriage"

   Synonyms:
   shivering, wobbly, trembling, perilous, parlous, rickety, shaky, wonky, unstable, touch-and-go

   Antonyms:
   secure, easy, safe

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:2.0 / 1 vote

1. precariousadjective

   Synonyms:
   uncertain, unsettled, unsteady, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, insecure, not to be depended upon

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. precariousadjective

   Synonyms:
   uncertain, insecure, unassured, doubtful

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "precarious":

   insecure, fragile, uncertain, unstable, tenuous, volatile, shaky, unsafe, uneasy, poor, delicate, weak, dangerous, substandard, perilous

How to pronounce precarious?

How to say precarious in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use precarious in a sentence?

1. The IEA:

   On the face of it, the oil price appears to be stabilizing. What a precarious balance it is, however, behind the façade of stability, the rebalancing triggered by the price collapse has yet to run its course, and it might be overly optimistic to expect it to proceed smoothly.

2. Lee Jong-chan:

   They have limited access to medical care (and) no support for their mental health which is important considering their precarious situation.

3. Martin McKee:

   There is an extensive body of research on inequalities in health, which points primarily to the conditions within which people live and work, with the most deprived experiencing precarious income, employment, housing and now even food supply in the UK.

4. Khuda Buksh:

   Sensing the precarious scenario of household food insecurity, many male family members have already headed toward nearby urban areas in search of jobs to tackle the emerging situation.

5. Donald Trump:

   Republicans are going to have to ask themselves the question: 'Do we want a candidate who could be tied up in court for two years?' That'd be a big problem, it'd be a very precarious one for Republicans because he'd be running and the courts may take a long time to make a decision. You don't want to be running and have that kind of thing over your head.