cautiously

American  

[kaw-shuhs-lee] / ˈkɔ ʃəs li /

adverb

1. in a way that shows alertness and prudence in a hazardous or uncertain situation; carefully; warily.

   He stepped cautiously onto the loose planks.

   I am cautiously optimistic that both parties will accept the compromise.

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Other Word Forms

• hypercautiously
  adverb
• ultracautiously
  adverb
• uncautiously
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of cautiously

First recorded in 1610–20; cautious ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

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Explanation

Acting cautiously means being careful and hesitant, the way you step cautiously into the first dark room of a haunted house. Whenever you use caution as you do something, you're behaving cautiously. The Latin root, cautio, means "caution, care, or foresight." Thinking through possible dangers of a situation, or considering any problems that might come up, is acting cautiously. You should approach that cow cautiously; she kicked the last person who tried to milk her!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cautiously

Her main advice was to proceed cautiously and work out a multiyear solution where you might convert small amounts, like $40,000 a year for four years.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

James' prediction: A lot of Everton fans I know seem to be feeling cautiously optimistic after the way they have started the season.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

That’s why we’re cautiously hopeful that after the midterms, Congress will seize the opportunity to make prior authorization and broader insurance marketplace reforms a priority.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026

However, Xu said Shein remained "cautiously optimistic" for the rest of this year.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

Inside, the kitchen is warm, and I slide my earmuffs down cautiously.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari

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Related Words

• carefully
• slowly

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