C2adjectiveformalacademic
US/ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/
UK/ɪnˈsɪp.i.ənt/
just beginning to appear or develop
In context
Teachers should notice incipient signs of stress in their students.
The government acted quickly to stop an incipient crisis in the banking sector.
There is an incipient trend towards four-day working weeks.
Words that go with incipient
adjective + noun
- incipient stageThe disease is easier to treat at an incipient stage.
- incipient crisisOfficials ignored the incipient crisis until it was too late.
- incipient signsDoctors look for incipient signs of the illness.
- incipient democracyThe country's incipient democracy faced many challenges.
- incipient trendThe figures suggest an incipient trend towards smaller families.