cautious

adjective

cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs 

: careful about avoiding danger or risk

cautious investors

cautious optimism

cautiously adverb

cautiousness noun

Synonyms

• alert
• careful
• chary
• circumspect
• conservative
• considerate
• gingerly
• guarded
• heedful
• safe
• wary

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

Dawn Staley, who’s undefeated in NCAA finals, is cautious in taking that fact into consideration. —Roberta F. Rodrigues, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025

Those with heart conditions, including a recent heart attack or stroke, should also be cautious about taking medications that contain PDE5 inhibitors.30 The safety and side effects of the ingredients in ExtenZe have not been studied in clinical trials. —Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2025

Be cautious about fertilizing, as nitrogen can interfere with blooming. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025

The data indicates that more entrepreneurs entered the bitcoin arena despite a cautious funding environment for the broader tech startup universe. —Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025

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
• monoecious
• nauseous

Kids Definition

cautious

adjective

cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs 

: marked by or given to caution

a cautious reply

cautiously adverb

cautiousness noun