- 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.
Check pronunciation:
cautious