precipice

noun

prec·​i·​pice ˈpre-s(ə-)pəs How to pronounce precipice (audio)
1
: a very steep or overhanging place
2
: a hazardous situation
broadly : brink

Examples of precipice in a Sentence

Twenty years ago, it seemed unlikely that black and white South Africans could avoid a cataclysmic struggle. How did we manage to turn back from the precipice and join one another in the long walk to a nonracial democracy? F. W. De Klerk, Time, 18 Apr. 2005
These are the brave, friendly guys and gals who flip, twist, spin and somersault themselves backward into the sky and somehow land on a horrifyingly steep precipice without rearranging their rib cages or breaking their faces. Curry Kirkpatrick, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 1994
… the helpless Cambodians were bused from the safety of a refugee camp to an outcropping along the border several hundred miles to the northeast, where they were forced over the precipice into a wild and inaccessible part of Cambodia from which it would be almost impossible to return to Thailand. Barbara Crossette, New York Times Book Review, 2 Aug. 1987
He stood on the edge of the precipice. scaled the steep precipice with the ease of an experienced climber
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trump might even inadvertently save the Canadian liberals, who are on the precipice of getting blown out of the water in the upcoming federal election, by rallying Canadians around the flag in defiance of their unruly downstairs neighbors. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025 Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady) –– On the precipice of adulthood, teenagers converge at a traditional folk high school in Arctic Norway. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025 Women’s sports stands on the precipice of a transformative era, where the convergence of innovation, investment, and public enthusiasm is reshaping the playing field—quite literally. Priya Oberoi, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 Now, Sirianni’s team is on the precipice of a second Super Bowl appearance in three seasons. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for precipice 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, from Latin praecipitium, from praecipit-, praeceps headlong, from prae- + caput head — more at head

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of precipice was in 1613

Dictionary Entries Near precipice

Cite this Entry

“Precipice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precipice. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

precipice

noun
prec·​i·​pice ˈpres-(ə-)pəs How to pronounce precipice (audio)
: a very steep and high face of a rock or mountain

More from Merriam-Webster on precipice

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