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Synonym Chooser

How is the word prudent distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of prudent are judicious, sage, sane, sapient, sensible, and wise. While all these words mean "having or showing sound judgment," prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion.

a prudent decision to wait out the storm

Where would judicious be a reasonable alternative to prudent?

In some situations, the words judicious and prudent are roughly equivalent. However, judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions.

judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure

In what contexts can sage take the place of prudent?

The synonyms sage and prudent are sometimes interchangeable, but sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom.

the sage advice of my father

When would sane be a good substitute for prudent?

The words sane and prudent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness.

remained sane even in times of crises

When can sapient be used instead of prudent?

While in some cases nearly identical to prudent, sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment.

the sapient musings of an old philosopher

When could sensible be used to replace prudent?

The meanings of sensible and prudent largely overlap; however, sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality.

a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery

When is it sensible to use wise instead of prudent?

While the synonyms wise and prudent are close in meaning, wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.

wise beyond his tender years

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 prudent The company maintains a prudent investment strategy to manage these risks. Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2025 What material and moral stances taken now will seem prudent decades down the line? Monica Duffy Toft, Foreign Affairs, 13 Mar. 2025 Meanwhile, Sonos speaker sales growth had slowed down, making portfolio diversification seem like a prudent way to protect business. Ars Technica, 12 Mar. 2025 California Fish and Wildlife scientist Johnson called for more prudent and robust forest management. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prudent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prudent
Adjective
  • Cunard's Queen Anne cruise ship advised passengers to remain cautious while the ship passed through a piracy-prone area in Southeast Asia, according to a Thursday, March 13, TikTok.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The organization has become more cautious about backing properties that are underinsured, dilapidated, or lack sufficient reserves for maintenance.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Here, Forbes Coaches Council members share wise strategies for tactfully and strategically highlighting your contributions at work.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Speaking of family, Nivola’s parents gave him some wise advice.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • People have been dreaming about intelligent humanoid robots since the introduction of the beloved family maid Rosey on The Jetsons in the early 1960s.
    Jim McGregor, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Beyond being intelligent, ethical, musically talented, and dedicated; Emily is a true arts-passionate individual.
    Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • TCAs work about as well as SSRIs/SNRIs but can sometimes cause less desirable side effects, such as dry mouth, sleepiness, weight gain, and trouble urinating.6 Summary Benadryl is an antihistamine medication taken to treat mild to severe allergic reactions.
    Alex Yampolsky, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The covetable object, and the desirable image, has its own hidden price.
    Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • As is often the case with slow-burn horror built on judicious restraint, those climactic events are arguably less effective in their relative explicitness than the preceding unease.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Just as the great English landscape designers guided beautiful creations with a judicious shaping of the environment but not too much control, Microsoft too is encouraging the flourishing of citizen programmers creating and sharing their knowledge in agents across the organization.
    John Sviokla, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • They’re required to see the race from inside the car (immersed in the on-track action), but also from the pits (making tactical adjustments) and from the operations center (where analysts interpret vast streams of data).
    John Cairney, Sportico.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • In contrast, Barca and Atleti have recognizable tactical strategies.
    Brett Koremenos, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • There are many discreet areas and each one has been thoughtfully decorated.
    Richard Kestenbaum, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Elevated by fluted panels and a duo of discreet storage drawers, its look is polished enough to nimbly complement non-office settings.
    Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • As for the future of the show, Barbato and Bailey say anything is possible, including a potential second show and a Broadway expansion.
    Lawrence Yee, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Wind gusts of up to 60 mph are also possible and could reduce visibility to a quarter mile or less for large parts of the day making travel difficult or even impossible in some areas.
    Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Prudent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prudent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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