Precipitate
verb /prɪˈsɪp.ɪ.teɪt/ — To cause something to happen suddenly or prematurely.
Definition
To cause an event — typically an unwanted or serious one — to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or before it was ready. As an adjective: done hastily, without sufficient consideration.
Beyond the definition
Precipitate is the word for the trigger — the careless remark that precipitates a fight, the decision that precipitates a crisis. It implies that something was set in motion before its time, and that the speed itself was part of the problem.
Origin & history
From Latin praecipitare ('to cast headlong'), from prae- ('before') + caput ('head'). The image is of something flung off the edge before it was ready to fall.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The announcement precipitated a wave of panic across the financial markets.
His precipitate resignation left the company without leadership at its most vulnerable moment.
How to use it
This entry uses a verb. Follow the examples for tense and any objects or prepositions it needs.
Choose “Precipitate” when the meaning fits your context: To cause an event — typically an unwanted or serious one — to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or before it was ready. As an adjective: done hastily, without sufficient consideration.
Synonyms
trigger, hasten, provoke, accelerate, spark
Antonyms
delay, hinder, prevent, defer
Related words
- catalyze
- instigate
- exacerbate
- prompt
Precipitate vs hasten
Hasten means to speed something up — to move faster, or to cause something to happen sooner. Precipitate is more dramatic: to precipitate an event is to cause it to happen suddenly or before it was ready, often with the implication of recklessness or bad timing. You hasten recovery; you precipitate a crisis. Hasten is generally neutral; precipitate often implies that the speed itself was part of the problem.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Catching a sudden, fleeting occurrence
An adult on a city balcony prepares to photograph a specific flower the moment a single beam of light strikes it.
This image illustrates the sudden, unplanned nature of a precipitate event. Just as the beam of light appears unexpectedly, the photographer must act quickly before the moment passes, highlighting the urgency and lack of preparation in such occurrences.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Precipitate" mean?
Precipitate is verb meaning: To cause something to happen suddenly or prematurely.. To cause an event — typically an unwanted or serious one — to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or before it was ready. As an adjective: done hastily, without sufficient consideration.
Where does the word "Precipitate" come from?
From Latin praecipitare ('to cast headlong'), from prae- ('before') + caput ('head'). The image is of something flung off the edge before it was ready to fall.