judicious

adjective

ju·​di·​cious jü-ˈdi-shəs How to pronounce judicious (audio)
: having, exercising, or characterized by sound judgment
judicious investments
a judicious decision
judiciously adverb
judiciousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for judicious

wise, sage, sapient, judicious, prudent, sensible, sane mean having or showing sound judgment.

wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.

wise beyond his tender years

sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom.

the sage advice of my father

sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment.

the sapient musings of an old philosopher

judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions.

judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure

prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion.

a prudent decision to wait out the storm

sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality.

a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery

sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness.

remained sane even in times of crises

Examples of judicious in a Sentence

judicious use of our resources Judicious planning now can prevent problems later.
Recent Examples on the Web Our 2022 recommendations included a number of steps departments should take to guard against these concerns, including being more judicious about issuing statements in the first place. Ty Alper, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 For now, Reeder suggested, helium consumers must be judicious. Caroline Hopkins, NBC News, 25 Jan. 2024 Senator Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat and majority leader, has learned to be judicious in scheduling votes when dealing with a spate of missing senators. Carl Hulse, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2024 Salary cap With about $35 million in available cap room this year, Atlanta can be a judicious buyer. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024 But although notoriously uncomfortable clothes are still worn — stiletto heels, tight pants — judicious shopping and tailoring can result in perfectly comfortable dressy clothes. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 8 Jan. 2024 As with many aspects of the downtown up-zoning, the two sides are at odds over whether incorporating the potential for extra development amounts to judicious planning or developer-friendly overkill. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2023 Yet regulators are rarely so careful or judicious with their own regulations. James Broughel, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 But although notoriously uncomfortable clothes are still worn — stiletto heels, tight pants, for example — judicious shopping and tailoring can result in perfectly comfortable dressy clothes. Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'judicious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of judicious was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near judicious

Cite this Entry

“Judicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/judicious. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

judicious

adjective
ju·​di·​cious ju̇-ˈdish-əs How to pronounce judicious (audio)
: having, exercising, or characterized by sound judgment
judiciously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on judicious

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