Meaning

(transitive) To make something happen suddenly and quickly..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To make something happen suddenly and quickly.
2. (transitive) To throw an object or person from a great height.
3. (transitive) To send violently into a certain state or condition.
4. (intransitive) (chemistry) To come out of a liquid solution into solid form.
5. (transitive) (chemistry) To separate a substance out of a liquid solution into solid form.
6. (intransitive, meteorology) To have water in the air fall to the ground, for example as rain, snow, sleet, or hail; be deposited as condensed droplets.
7. (transitive) To cause (water in the air) to condense or fall to the ground.
8. (intransitive) To fall headlong.

Example Sentences

to precipitate a journey, or a conflict

it precipitated their success

Back to his sight precipitates her steps.

if they be stout and daring, it may precipitate their designs, and prove dangerous

Freshly arrived in Paris in 1871 at the age of 17, Rimbaud proceded ^([sic]) to precipitate the collapse of Verlaine's marital menage, and with it his social position.

In gallopping heedlessly along, with her eyes turned upwards, she had unwarily approached too near the bank; it had given way with her, and she and her horse had been precipitated to the pebbled margin of the river.

we were precipitated into a conflict

Adding the acid will cause the salt to precipitate.

Word Forms

• precipitates
• precipitating
• precipitated
• præcipitate
• more precipitate
• most precipitate

Synonyms for precipitate

Related Words

When Should You Use Precipitate?

Use precipitate when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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