Synonyms for discretion
Most common
prudence circumspection caution tact pleasure choice discernment
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Prudence
prudence, circumspection, judgment US, judgement UK, caution, tact, wisdom, carefulness, calculation, discreetness, judiciousness, sagacity
3. Discernment
Definitions
- n. 1
The quality of being discreet.
Bob showed great discretion despite his knowledge of the affair.
- n. 2
The ability to make wise choices or decisions.
- n. 3
The freedom to make one's own judgements.
I leave that to your discretion.
Related words
- Word family
- discretional discretionary
- Phrases
- age of discretion
Forms
- Plural
- discretions → prudences, circumspections, judgments, cautions…
Example sentences
- judgment Yanni is going to face God on the Day of Judgment.
- caution The soldiers headed for the frontier with caution.
- prudence It is clear that he failed for lack of prudence.
- choice A pizza topped with mozzarella is my first choice.
- volition Mary had gone to the police of her own volition.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| discretion | falling | |
| judgment | falling | |
| caution | steady | |
| prudence | steady | |
| circumspection | steady | |
| choice | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- will1, tact1
- 6 letters
- choice1, option2, wisdom2
- 7 letters
- caution2
- 8 letters
- pleasure2, judgment2, delicacy4, prudence2, subtlety3, volition3, sagacity
- 9 letters
- judgement2
- 11 letters
- calculation4, discernment3, carefulness3
- 12 letters
- discreetness
- 13 letters
- judiciousness
- 14 letters
- circumspection4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (option2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- discrétion
- Italiano
- discrezione
- Deutsch
- Diskretion
- Català
- discreció