precipitate
/prɪˈsɪp.ɪ.teɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To cause something to happen suddenly or sooner than expected. It often suggests an action that creates a bad result or a rush.
- The leak precipitated a safety check.
- His comments precipitated a quick decision.
- The news precipitated a panic.
adjective
Happening too quickly, without enough thought or care. It is more formal than 'hasty' or 'sudden'.
- She regretted her precipitate decision.
- A precipitate move could cause more problems.
- The manager warned against precipitate action.
Adinary Nuance
Precipitate is close to cause and trigger, but it usually sounds more formal and often suggests a sudden, unwanted result. As an adjective, it is closer to hasty than to quick, because it implies too little thought. Writers often choose it in academic, news, or business English.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- gây ra
- Spanish
- precipitar
- Chinese
- 引发
- Japanese
- 引き起こす
- Korean
- 초래하다
Etymology
From Latin precipitare, meaning 'to fall headlong'. It entered English in the 16th century, first with the idea of falling or rushing down, then of causing sudden action.
Common phrases
precipitate a crisisprecipitate a changea precipitate decisionprecipitate action
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is precipitate formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal. You will see it in writing, news reports, and academic English.
- What is the difference between precipitate and trigger?
- Both can mean 'cause suddenly'. Precipitate sounds more formal and often suggests a serious or negative result.
- Can precipitate be an adjective?
- Yes. As an adjective, it means done too quickly or without enough thought.
- Do people use precipitate in everyday speaking?
- Not often. Many speakers use 'cause', 'lead to', or 'trigger' instead.