cautious

adjective

cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs 

: careful about avoiding danger or risk

cautious investors

cautious optimism

cautiously adverb

cautiousness noun

Synonyms of cautious

• careful
• wary
• alert

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

While much of those gains are concentrated in a few select sectors like health care, those two reports prompted some cautious optimism about hiring picking back up in 2026. —Rachel Barber, USA Today, 28 May 2026

The rise of powerful AI large language models is creating real uncertainty about which software products will still matter in the near future, and that uncertainty is already making buyers more cautious. —Robert Mallernee, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

On May 20, Hillsborough County Commissioners largely took after Castor’s lead, voting to approve the memorandum and expressing a willingness to move forward with cautious optimism. —Nicolas Villamil, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 May 2026

After cautious trading with the Inuit, five of his men went ashore and never returned. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

see caution entry 1

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cautious

• hyper-cautious

Rhymes for cautious

• incautious
• nauseous

Kids Definition

cautious

adjective

cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs 

: marked by or given to caution

a cautious reply

cautiously adverb

cautiousness noun