precarity
gb/pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/ us/pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/
C2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C2
state
1
Social or economic insecurity
a situation in which people do not have stable jobs, money, housing, or social protection
Usage pattern:
live in precarity; precarity among [group]; the precarity of [someone's] life/work
Common mistake:
Precarity is usually uncountable and formal. In everyday speech, people often say insecurity, instability, or a precarious situation.
Synonyms
insecurity (more general and more common in everyday English)
|
economic insecurity (clearer and less academic when the issue is money or work)
|
vulnerability (emphasizes exposure to harm or hardship)
|
instability (emphasizes lack of steadiness or permanence)
Antonyms
security (a protected and reliable condition)
|
stability (a steady condition that is not likely to change suddenly)
Collocations
economic precarity
|financial precarity
|job precarity
|employment precarity
|housing precarity
|labor precarity
|worker precarity
|social precarity
|growing precarity
|widespread precarity
Themes
economy
|work
|society
|inequality
|housing
Examples
- Many young adults face precarity even when they have full-time jobs.
- The pandemic pushed more families into precarity as working hours were cut and rents rose.
- The report links rising precarity to insecure contracts and weak social protections.
Learner examples
- Precarity makes it hard to plan for the future.
- Part-time work can bring precarity.
Noun
formal
C2
state
2
General unstable condition
the state of being unsafe, uncertain, or not stable
Usage pattern:
the precarity of [something]
Common mistake:
For ordinary physical danger or instability, precariousness or a precarious condition often sounds more natural than precarity.
Synonyms
precariousness (the standard general noun for being precarious)
|
fragility (emphasizes being easily damaged or disrupted)
|
instability (emphasizes being changeable or not secure)
|
uncertainty (emphasizes not knowing what will happen)
Antonyms
stability (a firm, steady, or reliable state)
|
security (a safe or protected state)
Collocations
the precarity of life
|existential precarity
|political precarity
|institutional precarity
|environmental precarity
|climate precarity
|global precarity
|shared precarity
Themes
risk
|society
|politics
|environment
Examples
- The essay reflects on the precarity of human life in a changing climate.
- The crisis revealed the precarity of supply chains built with little spare capacity.
- Her photographs emphasize the precarity of temporary shelters after the storm.
Learner examples
- The storm revealed the precarity of the old buildings.
Grammar
Dictionary form
precarity
IPA
GB/pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/
US/pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/
Syllables & stress
pre - car - ity (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pre)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: precarity
- Plural: precarities
Expressions
economic precarity
1/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪk pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
Unstable economic security
a situation in which people do not have a safe and stable economic life
Examples
- Economic precarity has increased in regions where stable manufacturing jobs have disappeared.
- The article describes how medical debt can push families into economic precarity.
- Young workers often connect economic precarity with high rent and insecure contracts.
financial precarity
1/fɪnˈænʃəl pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
Unstable personal finances
not having enough stable money to feel safe or cover important costs
Examples
- Rising food and energy prices have deepened financial precarity for low-income households.
- Even a small emergency can be devastating for people living with financial precarity.
- The survey asked students about debt, savings, and financial precarity.
housing precarity
1/hˈaʊzɪŋ pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
Unstable housing situation
not having a safe, stable, and affordable place to live
Examples
- Students reported high levels of housing precarity in cities with fast-rising rents.
- The charity works with families experiencing housing precarity after eviction.
- Housing precarity can affect health, school attendance, and job stability.
job precarity
1/d͡ʒˈɑb pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
Insecure employment situation
not knowing if your job, pay, or working hours will stay stable
Examples
- Gig workers often describe job precarity as a bigger concern than low pay alone.
- Automation has increased job precarity in some parts of the service sector.
- The union wants new rules to reduce job precarity for temporary staff.
labor precarity
1/lˈeɪbɚ pɹˈɛkɑɹɪti/
fixed phrase
technical
Insecure worker conditions
a situation where many workers do not have safe or stable jobs
Examples
- The study examines labor precarity among app-based delivery riders.
- Unions say outsourcing has increased labor precarity across the sector.
- Labor precarity is often linked to short-term contracts and limited benefits.