precipitated: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Academic/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “precipitated” mean?
To cause something to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To cause something to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely; to throw something or someone headlong; to cause a solid substance to separate from a solution.
Can refer to initiating a chain of events, hastening a process, or bringing about a crisis. In chemistry, it describes the formation of a solid from a solution.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling remains the same.
Connotations
Equally formal and technical in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American academic and journalistic writing due to broader use of 'precipitate' as a verb meaning 'to cause'.
Grammar
How to Use “precipitated” in a Sentence
[Subject] precipitated [Object] (e.g., The scandal precipitated his resignation).[Subject] precipitated [Object] from [Solution] (e.g., The reagent precipitated the salt from the mixture).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “precipitated” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The bank's failure precipitated a wider financial crisis.
- The chemist precipitated the desired compound by lowering the temperature.
American English
- The court ruling precipitated a major policy shift.
- The test solution precipitated a blue solid upon mixing.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form 'precipitatedly'. Use 'precipitately' or 'precipitously' for the manner, but these are distinct words.)
American English
- (See British note.)
adjective
British English
- (Note: 'precipitated' is not commonly used as a standalone adjective. The adjective form is 'precipitate' /prɪˈsɪpɪtət/, meaning rash or hasty.)
American English
- (See British note. Example of adjective 'precipitate': His precipitate decision got him into trouble.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The merger precipitated a sharp drop in share prices.
Academic
The new evidence precipitated a complete revision of the theory.
Everyday
His careless comment precipitated a huge family argument.
Technical
Adding the acid precipitated the dissolved compound as a fine white powder.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “precipitated”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “precipitated”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “precipitated”
- Using 'precipitated' for a slow, gradual cause (incorrect). Using it as a simple synonym for 'caused' without the nuance of suddenness or hastening (imprecise). Confusing the past participle 'precipitated' with the adjective 'precipitate' (meaning hasty).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but it often is in non-scientific contexts because it describes causing something sudden and significant, which is frequently a crisis. In chemistry, it is a neutral process.
'Caused' is general. 'Triggered' implies a small action starts a larger process (like pulling a trigger). 'Precipitated' emphasizes the suddenness and often negative, decisive nature of the cause, pushing events into a new state.
It is quite a formal word. In casual speech, words like 'sparked', 'caused', or 'set off' are more common, unless you are deliberately aiming for a dramatic or formal tone.
It shares the Latin root (praeceps, headlong) but its common meaning is 'done with excessive haste and without thought'. They are related conceptually (suddenness) but used differently grammatically.
To cause something to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.
Precipitated is usually formal/academic/scientific in register.
Precipitated: in British English it is pronounced /prɪˈsɪpɪteɪtɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /priˈsɪpɪˌteɪtɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “precipitated into chaos”
- “precipitated a chain of events”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'PRECIPICE' (a steep cliff) – 'precipitated' is like being pushed off a cliff into a sudden, rapid fall of events.
Conceptual Metaphor
CAUSATION IS A SUDDEN FALL (The event 'precipitated' a crisis).
Practice
Quiz
In a chemistry context, what does 'the solution precipitated a yellow solid' mean?