precarity

noun

pre·​car·​i·​ty pri-ˈker-ə-tē How to pronounce precarity (audio)
: the state or condition of being precarious : precariousness
The older brother—Dave—raises the younger one, a responsibility that gives him a perpetual sense of life's urgency and precarity.—Paul Elie
Job precarity can add to a number of social and economic challenges facing millennials including rising personal debts, growing costs of living, shrinking access to pensions and lower retirement savings.—Arif Jetha

Examples of precarity in a Sentence

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.
Unsheltered intertwined two plots related to the precarity of American life and the danger of demagogues—one set at the dawn of the MAGA era. — Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026 Unsheltered intertwined two plots related to the precarity of American life and the danger of demagogues — one set at the dawn of the MAGA era. — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026 In this century, the rise of concentrated wealth, economic precarity, and populist sentiment has changed the atmosphere. — Nicholas Lemann, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 Over the past couple of centuries interest in male muscle development and fitness has peaked during times of economic precarity and conflict. — Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for precarity

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from French précarité, from précaire "granted or exercised only with the permission of another, insecure, uncertain" (going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin precārius "given as a favor, uncertain, precarious") + -ité -ity

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of precarity was in 1910

Rhymes for precarity

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Browse Nearby Words

precariousness
precarity
precarium
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Cite this Entry

“Precarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precarity. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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