carefully
Americanadverb
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in a cautious way, with attention to possible risks and dangers.
Although somewhat "folksy" in his interview, the congressman carefully avoided pitfalls where he would be vulnerable to attack.
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in a thorough, attentive, or painstaking way, giving thought to avoiding errors or omissions.
I have to carefully examine the copy editor's marked-up manuscript, double-checking everything and approving or vetoing changes.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of carefully
First recorded before 1000; careful ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
Carefully means cautiously or painstakingly. If you carefully study your vocabulary words, you'll ace your next quiz! This adverb comes from the Old English carfullice — but before coming to mean "in a way that avoids harm," it meant "sorrowfully." In fact, the very oldest meaning of care was "to be anxious or to grieve." These days, you don't cry when you do something carefully. You just take your time and make sure you're doing it right and that no one's being harmed by it, like when you check carefully behind your car for the neighbor's cat before you back out of the driveway.
Vocabulary lists containing carefully
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A spokesperson for St James Group said: "The death of Mick Ferris in 2018 was tragic. Our thoughts remain with his family and friends. We acknowledge today's verdict and will carefully consider its implications."
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Any use belongs in clinical trials or in carefully supervised medical settings, not in clinics selling expensive “immune boosts.”
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
Insurance companies carefully vet artists before offering what’s known as “event cancellation/non-appearance coverage.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
He didn’t want to mix the track carefully to refine his statement.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Jonah’s hand shook as he carefully wrote his name, Jonah Skidmore.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
