cautious

adjective

cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs 

: careful about avoiding danger or risk

cautious investors

cautious optimism

cautiously adverb

cautiousness noun

Synonyms of cautious

• careful
• wary
• alert

Choose the Right Synonym for cautious

cautious, circumspect, wary, chary mean prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk.

cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger.

a cautious driver

circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding.

circumspect in his business dealings

wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it.

keeps a wary eye on the competition

chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely.

chary of signing papers without having read them first

Examples of cautious in a Sentence

Any cautious tourist will guard her passport.

You cannot be overly cautious when you're driving in snow.

He answered the question with a cautious reply.

Recent Examples on the Web

But where some saw cautious forward progress, others identified a much darker trend. —Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025

So any such tariffs threatened to send Christmas tree prices much higher in a year in which American consumers have shown themselves to be cautious and frugal. —Phil Wahba, Fortune, 22 Nov. 2025

Be especially cautious in school zones and watch for children and the flashing lights of school buses. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 22 Nov. 2025

Ocean carriers have been openly cautious about returning to the Red Sea even in the weeks after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 21 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see caution entry 1

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cautious

• hyper-cautious

Rhymes for cautious

• incautious
• monoecious
• nauseous

Kids Definition

cautious

adjective

cau·​tious ˈkȯ-shəs 

: marked by or given to caution

a cautious reply

cautiously adverb

cautiousness noun