caution 1 of 2

Definition of cautionnext
as in to warn
to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or risk the doctor cautioned that I should still be careful using my sprained wrist for the next several days

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caution

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in wonder
something extraordinary or surprising how she manages to drive her car without destroying the neighborhood is a caution

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3
as in warning
something that tells of approaching danger or risk this is just a caution that the following paragraph practically gives away the entire plot of the movie

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4
5
as in precaution
a measure taken to preclude loss or injury the standard caution of donning surgical gloves before performing any kind of dental work

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of caution
Verb
There is a tendency to take things on that his advisors in the first term would have cautioned him against, and those end up becoming a massive political problem for him. Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 23 June 2026 With five more World Cup matches set for Hard Rock Stadium, including one on Wednesday, Airbnb is cautioning soccer fans traveling to Miami about a surge in online booking scams. Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026
Noun
Please use extreme caution, follow evacuation notices, and do your part to prevent new fires. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 21 June 2026 City leaders showed the same caution and sensitivity when planning the memorial to the 49 people killed at Pulse nightclub, creating the design in careful stages and soliciting public comment along the way. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for caution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caution
Verb
  • Federal immigration officials are urging New York authorities not to release a 59-year-old Salvadoran national accused of raping a 16-year-old girl on Long Island, warning that he should be turned over to ICE if released from local custody.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
  • Ahead of the World Cup matches that began last week in Inglewood and Santa Clara, health officials warned the public to keep an eye out for symptoms of measles.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Considering there were only 33 appearances this past season, such Heat prudence hardly could be viewed as insulting.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2026
  • This is how a title is won, with prudence and luck and a foresight that becomes apparent in the afterglow of victory.
    Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 14 June 2026
Noun
  • The android has a sunny outlook and a childlike wonder about the humans around her, with Ortega describing her as being on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Wednesday Addams.
    Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 18 June 2026
  • No wonder people are so eager to talk about it.
    Kyley Sitton, Washington Post, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • San Joaquin County officials have confirmed the first detection of West Nile virus this season, sparking warnings for residents to protect themselves and prepare their homes.
    Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 23 June 2026
  • The only public indication of an impending launch was the release of a warning for pilots and sailors to steer clear of the rocket’s flight path.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is paramount in averting wildfires during these perilous conditions.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
  • Thirty homes below the Anchor Lake dam in southern Mississippi were being evacuated as a precaution due to concerns that rising waters could overwhelm the spillways and compromise the structure, Reeves said.
    CBS News, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • The plot was foiled when a suspect’s mother alerted police, court documents said.
    Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 20 June 2026
  • Illinois state and local law enforcement are prohibited from alerting, let alone assisting, immigration agents seeking to detain someone unless a judge has issued an arrest warrant for the subject.
    Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • This carefulness is clearly strategic.
    Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • There was no carefulness in it.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • Before Camilo Doval performed a miracle Thursday night by providing the White Sox with an ever-so-rare victory at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees had gone 9-4 since Aaron Judge left the lineup with a stress fracture in his rib.
    Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 20 June 2026
  • Considering Trout missed 383 of the Angels’ 648 regular season games—playing in only 266 from 2021 to 2024 because of broken bones, soft tissue and knee injuries—the resurgence is somewhat of a miracle.
    Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Caution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caution. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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