hypercautious

adjective

Definition of hypercautiousnext
as in cautious

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hypercautious Banks need to be hypercautious about their lending activities amid this hostile environment. — Jack Kelly, Forbes, 5 May 2023 For one, pairing Todd Bowles – a coach who is hypercautious with his offensive approach given his intolerance to turnovers – with a player who threw 23 interceptions in the last two years is a recipe for disaster. — Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypercautious
  1. cautious
  2. careful
  3. wary
  4. circumspect
  5. conservative
  6. guarded
  7. watchful
  8. vigilant
Adjective
  • Arellano contends that Becerra should project a more forceful, less cautious persona, drawing on the immigrant and working-class experience of Latino families.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Be cautious with financial ventures before taking unnecessary risks.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • Democratic congressional candidates will also need to be careful about balancing partisan messages to their base with more measured appeals to independent voters.
    — Julio Borquez, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But perhaps the biggest challenge of all was being extremely careful not to pass moral judgment on the story or any of the characters being portrayed.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Smaller banks may not be able to participate in the process and even large ones may initially be wary of untested new rules.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Marlow has a long list of reasons to be wary of Flock and similar systems.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of wary
Adjective
  • But in a First Opinion, the CEO of Reproductive Futures argues that Overton’s circumspect responses shouldn’t obscure the truth.
    — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Earlier this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was more circumspect about the diplomacy, saying there had been no breakthroughs.
    — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of circumspect
Adjective
  • The agency cited a local news story, whose source for its reporting was an X post from conservative activist and social media influencer Scott Presler.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The task fell to Atomic Canyon, whose CEO Trey Lauderdale previously worked to integrate AI into health care, another conservative industry.
    — Andrew Moseman, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of conservative
Adjective
  • When that happens, people become more guarded, less open and less willing to engage.
    — Tony Gambill, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Our spirits remain guarded, but high, for this one; the Venice Film Festival crowd seemed to eat it up.
    — Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2024
Definition of guarded
Adjective
  • While CIOs and CTOs have been keeping a watchful eye on rogue AI agents from OpenAI, Anthropic, and other major AI labs, within enterprises, the bet on these autonomous systems is only getting bigger.
    — John Kell, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Corie Walsh, 40, the Illinois mother accused of killing her 2-year-old son Barrett, entered a not guilty plea under the watchful eye of her husband, whom she is accused of attempting to poison.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of watchful
Adjective
  • Labor advocates who have studied pesticide regulation say the oversight gaps and failures to impose stiffer fines underscore the need for more vigilant enforcement.
    — Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • But despite its appeal to tourists, the State Department is warning travelers to remain vigilant due to the threat of terrorism.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of vigilant

Browse Nearby Words

hyperbolizing
hypercautious
hypercivilized
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Cite this Entry

“Hypercautious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypercautious. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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