- being careful about what you say or do, especially to avoid danger or mistakes; not taking any risks
- The government has been cautious in its response to the report.
- They've taken a very cautious approach.
- They expressed cautious optimism about a solution to the crisis.
- cautious about somebody/something | cautious about doing something He was very cautious about committing himself to anything.
Which Word? cautious / carefulcautious / careful- A cautious person is worried that something may be dangerous or unwise, so they only do it very slowly or after a lot of thought. (opposite = rash)
- A careful person is not worried but does take extra care to make sure that everything is correct or nothing goes wrong. (opposite = careless)
- Notice also:
- Be careful/Take care when you drive on icy roads.
- Caution/Warning—thin ice.
Extra ExamplesTopics Personal qualitiesc1- She accused the government of being unduly cautious.
- He warned us to be cautious of accepting their statements as fact.
- Her experiences have made her cautious.
- What's made you so suddenly cautious?
- cautious about spending money
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- become
- get
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- about
- of
Word Originmid 17th cent.: from caution, on the pattern of pairs such as ambition, ambitious.Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
cautious