Cautious — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈkȯ-shəs/ cau·tious

Meaning & Definition of Cautious

Cautious (adjective)

  1. careful about avoiding danger or risk

Cautious (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble

    "a cautious approach to everyday living"

    similar: alert, careful, chary, circumspect, conservative, considerate, gingerly, guarded, heedful, safe, wary
    related: advertent, attentive, awake, observant, regardful, vigilant, watchful, hypercautious, foresighted, foresightful, forethoughtful, provident, thoughtful, cagey, calculating, canny, shrewd, deliberate, slow, ultracareful, ultracautious
    opposite: careless, heedless, incautious, unguarded, unmindful, unsafe, unwary
    near: bold, brash, impetuous, rash, reckless, venturesome, asleep, inattentive, regardless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, lax, neglectful, negligent, remiss, imprudent, indiscreet, injudicious, absentminded, forgetful, inadvertent, unintentional, unplanned

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cautious

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cautious:

alert, careful, chary, circumspect, conservative, considerate, gingerly, guarded, heedful, safe, wary

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cautious

Words with the opposite meaning of Cautious:

careless, heedless, incautious, unguarded, unmindful, unsafe, unwary

Related Words for Cautious

advertent, attentive, awake, observant, regardful, vigilant, watchful, hypercautious, foresighted, foresightful, forethoughtful, provident, thoughtful, cagey, calculating, canny, shrewd, deliberate, slow, ultracareful, ultracautious

Near Antonyms of Cautious

bold, brash, impetuous, rash, reckless, venturesome, asleep, inattentive, regardless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, lax, neglectful, negligent, remiss, imprudent, indiscreet, injudicious, absentminded, forgetful, inadvertent, unintentional, unplanned

Word Forms of Cautious

Derived words: cautiously (adverb), cautiousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Cautious

First known use: 1614

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Cautious

Words & Phrases Containing Cautious

hypercautious

Frequently Asked Questions about Cautious

What does "Cautious" mean?

"Cautious" means careful about avoiding danger or risk. As an adjective, it is defined as: careful about avoiding danger or risk.

What is another word for "Cautious"?

Other words for "Cautious" include alert, careful, chary, circumspect, conservative, considerate, gingerly and guarded. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cautious" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cautious"?

There are 32 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cautious". Common alternatives include alert, careful, chary, circumspect, conservative, considerate, gingerly, guarded, heedful and safe.

What is the opposite of "Cautious"?

Antonyms of "Cautious" include careless, heedless, incautious, unguarded, unmindful, unsafe and unwary. Near antonyms include bold, brash, impetuous and rash.

How do you use "Cautious" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cautious" in a sentence: "a cautious approach to everyday living".

Is "Cautious" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cautious" is an adjective.

Is "Cautious" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Cautious" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Cautious"?

"Cautious" is pronounced /ˈkȯ-shəs/ and divided into syllables as cau·tious.