Main Entry: care·ful

Pronunciation: \-fəl\

Function: adjective

Inflected Form(s): care·ful·ler; care·ful·lest

Date: before 12th century

1 archaic a : solicitous, anxious b : filling with care or solicitude
2 : exercising or taking care
3 a : marked by attentive concern and solicitude b : marked by wary caution or prudence <be very careful with knives> c : marked by painstaking effort to avoid errors or omissions —often used with of or an infinitive <careful of money> <careful to adjust the machine>

— care·ful·ly \-f(ə-)lē\ adverb

— care·ful·ness \-fəl-nəs\ noun

synonyms careful, meticulous, scrupulous, punctilious mean showing close attention to detail. careful implies attentiveness and cautiousness in avoiding mistakes <a careful worker>. meticulous may imply either commendable extreme carefulness or a hampering finicky caution over small points <meticulous scholarship>. scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical <scrupulous honesty>. punctilious implies minute, even excessive attention to fine points <punctilious observance of ritual>.