How to Use careful in a Sentence

careful

adjective
  • They produced a careful study of the building.
  • Be careful! The stove is hot!
  • The police were careful to leave the room exactly as they found it.
  • She was careful of their feelings.
  • You can never be too careful about these things.
  • He is a careful driver.
  • Police made a careful examination of the scene.
  • There’s been enough in the last 20 years for the Buckeyes to want to be careful.
    Doug Lesmerises, cleveland, 9 June 2022
  • And a lot more careful, at least in terms of who says what when.
    Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Be careful not to cut off new buds that haven’t opened yet.
    Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 8 Nov. 2022
  • To do this, use a piece of ice or an ice pack to freeze the stained area, but be careful not to get the stain wet.
    Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2023
  • That is a balance that one has to be very careful with.
    Jessica Wang, EW.com, 25 May 2023
  • Kevin Allen briefed reporters at the scene and was careful to not use that term.
    The Oregonian, oregonlive, 2 Aug. 2023
  • So their whole thing is just be careful, don't get hurt.
    Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023
  • Gently stir in the cooked, cooled squash to coat it, being careful not to break up the squash.
    Patricia S York, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2025
  • The sound team also had to be careful not to pick up snoring.
    Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Aug. 2023
  • But be careful when scrolling, as the answers are at the end of the article.
    John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Be careful when making plans based on the menus at the website though.
    Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Aug. 2024
  • Still, some people want to be careful to not eat too many cashews.
    Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2024
  • Cut the corners at an angle, careful not to cut the stitching.
    Lacey Howard, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
  • Loosen spaghetti squash fibers with a fork, being careful not to rip skin to keep the boat shape.
    Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 9 Nov. 2024
  • The Eagles might be a bit careful with Hurts, who will need to remain healthy for when the team heads to the playoffs.
    Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024
  • Be very careful during this stage, as the husk and seed can be slippery.
    Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2022
  • As any parent, my impulse is to tell them to be careful and not get hurt.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2022
  • Breathe in steam from a shower or bowl of hot water (be careful to avoid burns).
    Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 3 Oct. 2024
  • Reagan wanted to play tug-of-war but knew to be careful with the baby.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Keep in mind that these run sharp, so use a steady grip and be careful when using them close to your eye area.
    Birnur K. Aral, Good Housekeeping, 13 Jan. 2023
  • Be careful not to cut through the tubers when digging or bruise the spuds with rough handling.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2024
  • This careful search led Phan's team to a single object, a tiny dot in the infrared data.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 1 May 2025
  • Wild first 20 minutes Most of this series has seen each team playing a very careful brand of hockey, feeling each other out in the first period, with few shots on goal and even fewer legitimate scoring opportunities.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 1 May 2025

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

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