precaution

Definition of precautionnext
as in safeguard
a measure taken to preclude loss or injury as parents of young children, they have taken the usual precaution of locking up their household cleansers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 precaution Clive Police Chief Mark Rehberg said the city decided to close Northwest 100th Street to accommodate protesters for safety precautions. Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 27 Jan. 2026 The one thing that is certain, for anybody who might be perceived as a critic of the government, is the need to take precautions when going out in the street. Cnn, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026 Some things can be winterized and left outdoors with the proper precautions. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2026 Officials in India are enacting precautions to prevent further spread of the virus, with quarantine and surveillance measures in place. Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for precaution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precaution
Noun
  • Her lawsuit alleges that, as a fiduciary, Northern Trust had a legal duty to protect the assets in her trust estate by maintaining internal safeguards.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
  • In the letter, Baker argued that sports prediction markets lack key safeguards found in traditional sports betting, including higher age restrictions and robust monitoring, and said those gaps have contributed to harassment of student-athletes.
    Sofia Chierchio, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Padlocks, sickles and other objects made of iron, a metal said to possess anti-demonic powers, were stashed in the grave as preventives.
    Franz Lidz, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
  • But although human vaccines function primarily as preventives, offering immunity to animals such as black-footed ferrets can be a conservation strategy of last resort.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 June 2023
Noun
  • Free-solo climber Alex Honnold was reportedly paid about $500,000 to climb the Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes or protection, an act that carried a nontrivial risk of death.
    James Broughel, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • These plans are not insurance, and therefore not subject to the Affordable Care Act's rules or protections, says Joann Volk, a professor at Georgetown University who studies private insurance markets.
    Mahsa Saeidi, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • There are many potential downsides to relying too much on AI personas; see my cautions at the link here.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Clear out any house vents and consider clearing your roof if possible (use extreme caution).
    Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Precaution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precaution. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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