How to Use careful in a Sentence

careful

adjective
  • They produced a careful study of the building.
  • Be careful! The stove is hot!
  • The police were careful to leave the room exactly as they found it.
  • She was careful of their feelings.
  • You can never be too careful about these things.
  • He is a careful driver.
  • Police made a careful examination of the scene.
  • Be careful not to tear the dough.
    — Staff Author, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2025
  • And my son is like, please be careful.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • But here's who needs to be careful.
    — Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Oil will pour out from here too, so be careful.
    — Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Since then, progress has been careful and at times slow.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
  • And a lot more careful, at least in terms of who says what when.
    — Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Use a soft cloth or sponge,e and be careful not to scrub too hard.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 June 2026
  • That’s where Guerin must be careful.
    — Michael Russo, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026
  • But in truth, shares haven't seen much of a sell-off, so be careful.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
  • The agency was careful to say what the change was not.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
  • Daly is careful to draw the line between the two.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
  • As with any sauce, be careful not to over-reduce.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Trust grows as your actions meet your careful words.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026
  • Add flour, being careful not to over mix.
    — Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
  • The best way to get a handle on this is to keep careful records.
    — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Be careful on the road this morning.
    — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Some people just need to be careful.
    — Larry Seward, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026
  • People should be more careful about these things.
    — Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
  • Be careful about coming on too strong.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 23 Mar. 2026
  • So please be careful and don’t take your tags off at the airport.
    — Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Still, some people want to be careful to not eat too many cashews.
    — Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2024
  • Just be careful to not add too much or risk watery, loose eggs.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Be careful not to use too much pressure, which can dent the shade.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026

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

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