precipice

noun

ˈpre-s(ə-)pəs How to pronounce precipice (audio)
Definition of precipicenext
as in cliff
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice scaled the steep precipice with the ease of an experienced climber

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of precipice Last season, set pieces propped the floor up just above the relegation precipice. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Pandemic-era ridership changes, inflation and overreliance on fare-box revenues have pushed our transit system to the financial precipice. — Libby Schaaf, Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2026 Instead, Jolene sits on the precipice of change, telling a vivid story of how seeing a stunning young woman can make another woman insecure. — Wendy Hargreaves, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 This points to global streaming services nearing a precipice for cost increases, as the proliferation of services available and a general caution around spending mean consumers are becoming less likely to accept higher and higher demands. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for precipice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipice
  1. cliff
  2. escarpment
Noun
  • Pilots have compared landing on the short runway, with either side plunging straight down off the side of a vertical cliff, to landing on an aircraft carrier.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • This Victoria Falls masterpiece is, as its name suggests, modeled on the rich colors of one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls, which sits on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe where the Zambezi River plunges over a basalt cliff.
    — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of cliff
Noun
  • The researchers say the ancient escarpment may have influenced river systems, sediment transport and the flooding of continental interiors long before the rapid diversification of complex life during the Cambrian explosion.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Built around a towering sandstone escarpment that rises through the centre of the property, surrounded by a deliciously cold pool, the architecture was conceived in careful negotiation with the landscape.
    — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026
Definition of escarpment

Browse Nearby Words

precious
precipice
precipices
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Cite this Entry

“Precipice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipice. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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