cautious

adjective

cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs How to pronounce cautious (audio)
: careful about avoiding danger or risk
cautious investors
cautious optimism
cautiously adverb
cautiousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for cautious

cautious, circumspect, wary, chary mean prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk.

cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger.

a cautious driver

circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding.

circumspect in his business dealings

wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it.

keeps a wary eye on the competition

chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely.

chary of signing papers without having read them first

Examples of cautious in a Sentence

Any cautious tourist will guard her passport. You cannot be overly cautious when you're driving in snow. He answered the question with a cautious reply.
Recent Examples on the Web As a result of this content clampdown, Chinese media companies that were once eager to invest in Japanese animation are now more cautious. Mark Schilling, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 Now, Elliot is warning shoppers to be cautious when opening packages. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 Instead of recognizing the threat Trump poses and assuming a more cautious stance, NBC News Group appears to be moving in the opposite direction. Oliver Darcy, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 This isn’t the first signal that the FDA is taking a cautious approach in its review of donanemab. David Ovalle, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 In fact, Medvedev established a new center, the Institute of Modern Development, to oversee the cautious liberalizing not only of the economy but also of politics, in what was supposed to be a road map for Russia’s future. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2024 Those who work with the venture capitalist say that Tobel and cofounder Lucy Deland appeal to otherwise cautious investors because of their own experience as founders and their interest in founders who are tackling societal issues. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 Although economic data from the region, such as China, remained relatively positive, investors stayed cautious. Yuri Kageyama, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 Behind it all was a cautious and conventional campaign. Jonathan Weisman Ruth Fremson, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cautious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see caution entry 1

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cautious was in 1614

Dictionary Entries Near cautious

Cite this Entry

“Cautious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cautious. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cautious

adjective
cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs How to pronounce cautious (audio)
: marked by or given to caution
a cautious reply
cautiously adverb
cautiousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cautious

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