judicious
Americanadjective
-
using or showing judgment as to action or practical expediency; discreet, prudent, or politic.
judicious use of one's money.
- Antonyms:
- imprudent
-
having, exercising, or characterized by good or discriminating judgment; wise, sensible, or well-advised.
a judicious selection of documents.
- Synonyms:
- considered, sagacious, sound, sober, reasonable, rational
- Antonyms:
- unreasonable, silly
adjective
Synonym Usage
See practical. See moderate. Judicious, judicial both refer to a balanced and wise judgment. Judicious implies the possession and use of discerning and discriminating judgment: a judicious use of one's time. Judicial has connotations of judgments made in a courtroom and refers to a fair and impartial kind of judgment: cool and judicial in examining the facts.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of judicious
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin jūdici(um) “judgment” ( see judge, -ium) + -ous; compare Italian giudizioso, French judicieux
Explanation
If you're judicious, you've got a good head on your shoulders and make good decisions. Humpty Dumpty's decision to sit on a wall? NOT judicious. As its sound implies, judicious comes from the same Latin word from which we get judge and judiciary, and not surprisingly a judicious decision is one that only comes after all sides have been weighed up and opposing points of view taken into consideration. Judicious decisions are never split-second decisions.
Vocabulary lists containing judicious
You Be the Judge: Jud, Jur, Jus
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The Pearl
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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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.
Judicious use of AI should become a defining attribute of successful candidates in future elections.
From Salon • Nov. 29, 2025
Judicious use of landscaping and tree-shaded paths make the zoo - home to 300 animals, including some that are rare and endangered - seem larger than it actually is.
From Washington Times • Jun. 29, 2015
A key fulcrum is the discovery that the Arosteguys had published an essay called “The Judicious Destruction of the Insect Religion,” exploring “Weber. Capitalism. Vatican. Luther. Entomology. Sartre. Consumerism. Beckett. North Korea. Apocalypse. Oblivion.”
From Slate • Oct. 7, 2014
Judicious in ladling out sentiment, the film not only makes viewers weep big fat tears, it also earns them.
From Time • Jun. 7, 2014
The last, according to the Opinion of the most Judicious, touches the Heart more than the others, and is called Recitativo di Camera.
From Observations on the Florid Song or Sentiments on the Ancient and Modern Singers by Galliard, John Ernest
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.
