Synonyms for prudence
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Circumspection
circumspection, caution, carefulness, forethought, precaution, care, calculation, forecast, discreetness, anticipation
2. Discretion — the quality or state of being prudent, circumspection and good judgment in knowing how best to act…
discretion, providence, judiciousness, far-sightedness, foresightedness, prudency, cautel dated
3. Wisdom — synonym of wisdom (“an element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the…
wisdom, sagacity, foresight, astuteness, perspicacity, judgment US, judgement UK, sense, tact, common sense, wit, insight, discrimination, penetration, sapience, sagaciousness, sageness, discernment, acumen
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
The quality or state of being prudent: circumspection and good judgment in knowing how best to act; (countable, archaic) an instance of this.
- n. 2
Synonym of wisdom (“an element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise; wise advice”).
- n. 3
Synonym of frugality (“the quality of avoiding unnecessary expenditure; economy, parsimony, thrift, thriftiness”).
Related words
- Word family
- prudency prudent prudential
Forms
- Plural
- prudences → circumspections, cautions, carefulnesses, forethoughts…
Choose the right word
Precaution is allied with care, prudence with caution; a man rides a dangerous horse with care; caution will keep him from mounting the horse; precaution looks to the saddle-girths, bit and bridle, and all that may make the rider secure.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- caution The soldiers headed for the frontier with caution.
- forethought I don't think Tom did that with any forethought.
- discretion Discretion is a rare and important virtue.
- providence As luck would have it, Providence was on my side.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| prudence | steady | |
| caution | steady | |
| forethought | rising | |
| circumspection | steady | |
| carefulness | steady | |
| discretion | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- wit1
- 4 letters
- care1, tact1
- 5 letters
- sense1
- 6 letters
- policy3, wisdom2, acumen3, cautel
- 7 letters
- insight2, caution2
- 8 letters
- judgment2, forecast2, sagacity, sapience, prudency3, sageness
- 9 letters
- judgement2, foresight2, frugality4
- 10 letters
- discretion3, providence3, precaution3, astuteness3
- 11 letters
- calculation4, penetration4, discernment3, forethought2, carefulness3
- 12 letters
- anticipation5, perspicacity, discreetness
- 13 letters
- consideration5, judiciousness, sagaciousness
- 14 letters
- discrimination5, circumspection4
- 15 letters
- foresightedness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (policy3 = 3 syllables).