Synonyms of cautious

cautious

adjective

ˈkȯ-shəs 

as in careful

having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble

a cautious approach to everyday living

Synonyms & Similar Words

• careful
• wary
• alert
• circumspect
• considerate
• conservative
• guarded
• chary
• heedful
• safe
• thoughtful
• gingerly
• vigilant
• watchful
• attentive
• observant
• regardful
• awake
• slow
• deliberate
• shrewd
• foresighted
• cagey
• provident
• hypercautious
• calculating
• forethoughtful
• canny
• advertent
• cagy
• foresightful
• ultracautious
• ultracareful

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• careless
• reckless
• unsafe
• bold
• impetuous
• unmindful
• heedless
• regardless
• unwary
• rash
• unguarded
• venturesome
• negligent
• thoughtless
• brash
• incautious
• inattentive
• lax
• inconsiderate
• imprudent
• asleep
• neglectful
• remiss
• indiscreet
• injudicious
• forgetful
• inadvertent
• unintentional
• unplanned
• absentminded

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective cautious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cautious are chary, circumspect, and wary. While all these words 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

When is it sensible to use chary instead of cautious?

The synonyms chary and cautious are sometimes interchangeable, but chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely.

chary of signing papers without having read them first

When can circumspect be used instead of cautious?

While the synonyms circumspect and cautious are close in meaning, circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding.

circumspect in his business dealings

Where would wary be a reasonable alternative to cautious?

Although the words wary and cautious have much in common, wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it.

keeps a wary eye on the competition

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cautious

Core inflation, measured by the Fed’s preferred metric, the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, continues to hover above the 2% target, reinforcing the Fed’s cautious stance. —Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 8 May 2025

While the company expects growth to continue during the third quarter, projecting a modest increase in Disney+ subscribers during the third quarter and double-digit increases to both entertainment and sports, Disney remains cautious about the future in the face of economic headwinds. —Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 7 May 2025

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott didn’t sound like someone preparing Sovereignty for a trip to Baltimore to run in the 150th Preakness Stakes on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, offering a cautious approach Sunday. —Gary B. Graves, Baltimore Sun, 4 May 2025

While public support for cannabis legalization has grown, recent events indicate a more cautious approach. —Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2025