precariousness
noun
pre·car·i·ous·ness
pri-ˈker-ē-əs-nəs 
: the state or condition of being precarious
The noise, the dashing of the waters, … the precariousness of their footing, for there was scarce room for them to stand on the shelf of rock which they had thus attained …—
Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott… at a time when a single night of predation could ruin a family, wolves were a constant reminder of the precariousness of frontier life.—Betsy Carpenter and Lisa Busch
Betsy Carpenter and Lisa Busch… has to keep up an air of high spirits through a daily struggle with his own illiteracy and the precariousness of his employment.—George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard ShawHis knowledge is fragmentary, his righteousness is illusory, his motives are tainted, but, aware of the precariousness of human striving, he must strive nevertheless.—Arthur Meier Schlesinger
Arthur Meier SchlesingerSynonyms
Examples of precariousness in a Sentence
she quickly moved the china teapot after noticing its precariousness on the shelf
Recent Examples on the Web
Working in tandem to keep both the gameplay and the technical aspects of the show on the rails, the frenzy of their overlapping roles adds a precariousness to the house of cards vibe of the show.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2024
Engaging in routine daily farm tasks and providing care for the animals instilled accountability and highlighted the precariousness of life, illustrating how it can be abruptly lost or extinguished over time.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2024
Amid the resulting precariousness, Ortega was reelected as president in 2006 after winning only 38% of the vote.
—TIME, 2 May 2024
For marginalized groups, the precariousness is heightened.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 26 Mar. 2024
The subject matter turns persistently to the cabaret and circus, which are intensifiers of life, especially its precariousness and absurdity.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2023
Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit declared bankruptcy last year, while space tug company Momentus and rocket company Astra teeter on the edge, as just a few examples of the current precariousness of the industry.
—George Dvorsky / Gizmodo, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024
Even when proportional to the departures of their male counterparts, women’s congressional departures evoke a sense of precariousness of gender progress at the highest levels of political office, at least when progress is measured by numbers alone.
—Kelly Dittmar, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
When there are layoffs, those who survive the cuts are reminded of the precariousness of at-will employment.
—Roxane Gay, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2024
Engaging in routine daily farm tasks and providing care for the animals instilled accountability and highlighted the precariousness of life, illustrating how it can be abruptly lost or extinguished over time.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2024
Amid the resulting precariousness, Ortega was reelected as president in 2006 after winning only 38% of the vote.
—TIME, 2 May 2024
For marginalized groups, the precariousness is heightened.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 26 Mar. 2024
The subject matter turns persistently to the cabaret and circus, which are intensifiers of life, especially its precariousness and absurdity.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2023
Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit declared bankruptcy last year, while space tug company Momentus and rocket company Astra teeter on the edge, as just a few examples of the current precariousness of the industry.
—George Dvorsky / Gizmodo, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024
Even when proportional to the departures of their male counterparts, women’s congressional departures evoke a sense of precariousness of gender progress at the highest levels of political office, at least when progress is measured by numbers alone.
—Kelly Dittmar, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
When there are layoffs, those who survive the cuts are reminded of the precariousness of at-will employment.
—Roxane Gay, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'precariousness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near precariousness
Cite this Entry
“Precariousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precariousness. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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