Synonyms for cautious
- adjective
Most common
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Careful
careful, wary, circumspect, prudent, guarded, timid, shy, hesitant, conservative, vigilant, canny, mindful, deliberate, afraid, anxious, discreet, safe, risk-averse, considerate, cagey, scrupulous, watchful
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Using or exercising caution; careful; tentative
He took a few cautious steps toward the cave.
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A man is cautious who realizes the constant possibility of danger; one may be wary, and yet bold and active; a man who is circumspect habitually examines things on every side in order to weigh and deliberate.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Example sentences
- careful You should be careful in crossing the busy street.
- wary My parents always told me to be wary of strangers.
- prudent You should be prudent in deciding which way to go.
- circumspect I'm merely being a little more circumspect.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| cautious | rising | |
| careful | steady | |
| wary | rising | |
| prudent | steady | |
| circumspect | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- shy1
- 4 letters
- safe1, wary2
- 5 letters
- timid2, canny2, cagey2
- 6 letters
- afraid2
- 7 letters
- careful2, anxious2, guarded2, mindful2, prudent2
- 8 letters
- hesitant3, discreet2, vigilant3, watchful2
- 9 letters
- relentful
- 10 letters
- deliberate4, scrupulous3
- 11 letters
- considerate4, circumspect3
- 12 letters
- conservative4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (wary2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- prudent