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.
The specimen was carefully preserved in alcohol and formalin before being shipped from the Galápagos to Chicago, where Voight examined it at the Field Museum.
From Science Daily • May 25, 2026
"This operation that we did gave us positive intel to make educated decisions today in the positive light," he said, adding that experts are carefully studying the information collected.
From Barron's • May 24, 2026
Minutes later, thanks to a carefully choreographed stocking and delivery process on the back end, the diapers were at her doorstep, to the New Delhi mom’s relief.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
Instead, the government said it would deal with the issue "thoroughly and carefully", and took eight months to release the guidance.
From BBC • May 21, 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.
