: characterized by, arising from, or showing prudence: such as
a
: marked by wisdom, judiciousness, or restraint
prudent advice/counsel
a prudent investment
prudent use of resources
It seems prudent to wait until we know more.
Our forecasts helped inform prudent decisions and keep people safe, which is the ultimate goal.—
Jason Samenow
Jason Samenow
b
: having or showing good judgment or restraint (as in matters of business or conduct) : cautious, circumspect
prudent investors
what any reasonable and prudent person would do
While banks have become more prudent, there are still an awful lot of … problem loans that have yet to be written off.—Jack Egan
Jack EganSir Florian was … so far prudent that he never risked his fortune … in gambling-houses …—Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
c
: marked by circumspection : discreet
prudently
adverb
Did you know?
It Is Prudent to Read Up on This Word History
Prudent arrived in Middle English around the 14th century and traces back, by way of Middle French, to the Latin verb providēre, meaning "to see ahead, foresee, provide (for). "Providēre" combines pro-, meaning "before, and vidēre, meaning "to see, and it may look familiar to you; it is also the source of our "provide," "provident," "provision," and "improvise." "Vidēre" also has many English offspring, including "evident," "supervise," "video," and "vision."
Examples of prudent in a Sentence
An endless war is not always the most moral or the most prudent course of action.
—Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 2 Sept. 2002
We missed the Mass for St. Rose of Lima, who, though prudent, had failed to be martyred and was therefore only second-string.
—Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
Prudent burners take several precautions. Burning one of two bordering fields, they wet the edge of one or the other, usually the one being burned, to prevent the flames from jumping.
—Alec Wilkinson, Big Sugar, 1989
Since the inexplicable power of a magnetized needle to "find" the north smacked of black magic … . For many decades the prudent sea captain consulted his compass secretly.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
He always listened to her prudent advice.
You made a prudent choice.
Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 2 Sept. 2002
We missed the Mass for St. Rose of Lima, who, though prudent, had failed to be martyred and was therefore only second-string.
—Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
Prudent burners take several precautions. Burning one of two bordering fields, they wet the edge of one or the other, usually the one being burned, to prevent the flames from jumping.
—Alec Wilkinson, Big Sugar, 1989
Since the inexplicable power of a magnetized needle to "find" the north smacked of black magic … . For many decades the prudent sea captain consulted his compass secretly.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
He always listened to her prudent advice.
You made a prudent choice.
Recent Examples on the Web
The prudent way forward ought then to be to read today’s many swirling war stories with greater acuity—or even to learn how to write an altogether different story.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
This aligns with research showing that rural social identity predicts skepticism of external experts, illustrating a rural orientation toward prudent distrust.
—Scott R. Schell, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
That said, Gordon believes the sale announced by Tucker, who was promoted from Jack in the Box chief financial officer to CEO on March 31, is a prudent one.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
During my previous time on the board, my fellow members and I practiced prudent fiscal management that consistently extended the life of levies far beyond their original three-year term, some lasting as long as nine years.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prudent
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
This aligns with research showing that rural social identity predicts skepticism of external experts, illustrating a rural orientation toward prudent distrust.
—Scott R. Schell, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
That said, Gordon believes the sale announced by Tucker, who was promoted from Jack in the Box chief financial officer to CEO on March 31, is a prudent one.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
During my previous time on the board, my fellow members and I practiced prudent fiscal management that consistently extended the life of levies far beyond their original three-year term, some lasting as long as nine years.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prudent
Cite this Entry
“Prudent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prudent. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
prudent
adjective
pru·dent
ˈprüd-ᵊnt 
: characterized by, arising from, or showing prudence
prudently
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share