precipitate 1 of 3

precipitate

2 of 3

noun

precipitate

3 of 3

verb

as in to rain
to fall as water in a continuous stream of drops from the clouds the air mass was dry, as much of the moisture had precipitated out on the other side of the mountains

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective precipitate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of precipitate are abrupt, headlong, impetuous, and sudden. While all these words mean "showing undue haste or unexpectedness," precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action.

the army's precipitate withdrawal

When is it sensible to use abrupt instead of precipitate?

Although the words abrupt and precipitate have much in common, abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony.

an abrupt refusal

When is headlong a more appropriate choice than precipitate?

While the synonyms headlong and precipitate are close in meaning, headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought.

a headlong flight from arrest

When would impetuous be a good substitute for precipitate?

The words impetuous and precipitate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness.

an impetuous lover proposing marriage

When can sudden be used instead of precipitate?

The meanings of sudden and precipitate largely overlap; however, sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action.

flew into a sudden rage

Examples 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 precipitate
Adjective
An additional factor that has been increasingly in the mix is that old and deteriorating dam infrastructure can fail amidst excessive rainfall events and precipitate catastrophic flooding. Sarah Raza, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023 Those updates references – and the series of chases, Rube Goldberg mechanisms, and bits of derring-do they all precipitate – also allowed the filmmaking to push their formal boundaries. Ben Croll, Variety, 14 June 2023
Noun
Specific metals are then extracted using a series of electrified filters, producing a nickel-cobalt product, mixed hydroxide precipitate. Sue Kiesewetter, The Enquirer, 27 July 2023 Every summer, calcium carbonate precipitates from the lake’s warming water and falls to the lakebed, creating a visible barrier between each year of sediment. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 July 2023
Verb
Trending on Billboard A day after the onstage meltdown, Etty Lau attempted to provide context and background on what precipitated the incident. Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2024 Reservoirs of such ferrocyanide salts could have undoubtedly formed on the early Earth (through iron from Earth’s crust linking up with cyanide from Earth’s atmosphere, and ferrocyanide salts precipitating out above a certain concentration). Mario Livio, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for precipitate 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precipitate
Adjective
  • Diners harken back to a simpler time in American life before the rise of hurried drive-thrus and impersonal delivery services.
    Tyler Buchanan, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024
  • The plot is hurried, leaving the actors insufficient time to find their footing.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • The results suggest that Vega and Iwanaga’s messages of preserving the character of Morgan Hill resonated with voters.
    Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Pacheco had a sizable lead in both Los Angeles and Orange counties, a tally of mail-in ballots and results from in-person voting announced by the secretary of state shortly after 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, indicated.
    Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The major natural processes are glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) and natural sediment compaction.
    Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
  • The heavy density of pyrite also means the fool's gold material thoroughly filled in tiny areas where the arthropod's body once lay in sediment − including internal body parts, scientists said.
    Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Conditions ranged from single digits in Wyoming to rain in North Idaho to 70-mph gusts on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington.
    Frederick Reimers, Outside Online, 4 Nov. 2024
  • But today, while some of those things may happen on a smaller scale, no authority is raining down information.
    Joe Hudicka, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Designers had initially hoped to tunnel beneath the rail line, but UP refused permission, the resultant bridge adding well over $15 million to the project cost, according to Ellerman.
    Mark Lamster, Dallas News, 29 June 2023
  • The 12-page unclassified summary of the Biden administration’s after action report on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan laid most of the blame for the rapid defeat of Afghan forces and the resultant need for a chaotic 17-day evacuation on the Trump administration's failure to plan.
    Jamie McIntyre, Washington Examiner, 7 Apr. 2023
Noun
  • At one point during his civil-fraud deposition, lawyers representing the state AG handed him a thick document: a property appraisal of 40 Wall.
    Paula Aceves, Curbed, 31 Oct. 2024
  • The artwork required 10 prototypes to get right, and is made from stainless steel that was darkened using a process called physical vapor deposition, with contour lines engraved into the bright metal beneath.
    Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • While results will start pouring in when the polls close, the outcome of any race may not be clear for awhile.
    Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Billionaire Elon Musk has wielded his fortune to curry favor with Trump this election, pouring $118.6 million into his America PAC.
    Taylor Giorno, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The body rash typically only develops in children and may be itchy.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 1 Nov. 2024
  • This card symbolizes the impulsive and passionate nature of the Knight, whose fiery approach can sometimes lead to rash decisions.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024

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Thesaurus Entries Near precipitate

Cite this Entry

“Precipitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precipitate. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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