precipitate a crisis

Meaning

To cause a sudden, unexpected, and severe problem or emergency to happen prematurely or suddenly. This is used in business, political, and economic contexts to describe a catalyst for a major downturn or conflict.

Examples

• A sudden rise in interest rates could precipitate a crisis in the housing market.

  A sudden rise in interest rates could precipitate a crisis in the housing market.

• The CEO's sudden resignation threatened to precipitate a crisis within the company.

  The CEO's sudden resignation threatened to precipitate a crisis within the company.

• Failing to secure the loan would certainly precipitate a cash flow crisis.

  Failing to secure the loan would certainly precipitate a cash flow crisis.

• Analysts warn that a trade war could precipitate a global economic crisis.

  Analysts warn that a trade war could precipitate a global economic crisis.

• A major security breach has the potential to precipitate a crisis for the firm.

  A major security breach has the potential to precipitate a crisis for the firm.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The mistake precipitated to a crisis.

  ✓ The mistake precipitated a crisis.

  Precipitate is a transitive verb. It does not require the preposition 'to' before its direct object.

• ✗ We managed to precipitate a crisis by fixing the server.

  ✓ We managed to avert a crisis by fixing the server.

  Precipitate means to cause or hasten something bad. If you resolve a problem, you 'avert' or 'prevent' a crisis, not precipitate it.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The sudden withdrawal of our main investor could ___.

  💡 suddenly trigger a major emergency

  Show answer

  precipitate a crisis

• Unresolved labor disputes often ___ within manufacturing companies.

  💡 bring about a sudden critical situation

  Show answer

  precipitate a crisis