cautious

adjective

cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs How to pronounce cautious (audio)
Synonyms of cautious
: careful about avoiding danger or risk
cautious investors
cautious optimism
cautiously adverb
cautiousness noun

Synonyms of cautious

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When the market slows, companies can become too cautious and start questioning everything. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026 So far, some $271 billion in debt and equity has been issued by the hyperscalers this year, said Hartnett, BofA's chief investment strategist, who has been cautious on the stock market. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026 Amazon offered a cautious sales outlook for the current fourth quarter that encompasses the critical holiday shopping period after delivering fiscal third-quarter results that came in below Wall Street analysts' expectations. — ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026 Be cautious with adapters that turn a single outlet into several outlets, as well as extension cords used to power kitchen appliances. — Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cautious

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

Phrases Containing cautious

Rhymes for cautious

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Browse Nearby Words

cautionry
cautious
cautiously
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Cite this Entry

“Cautious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cautious. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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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
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