carefully

[kair-fuh-lee]

adverb

1. 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.

2. 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

• quasi-carefully adverb
• ultracarefully adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of carefully¹

First recorded before 1000; careful ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

Leggett & Platt said it will carefully review and evaluate the unsolicited proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Inflammation is vital for defending the body against infections, but if it is not carefully controlled, it can drive serious diseases, including cancer.

Read more on Science Daily

Garcia said Democrats were prepared to publish the full set themselves — but incrementally over the course of the week, arguing that such a release needed to be done carefully to protect victims’ privacy.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

To suit the upmarket neighbourhood, they carried out high-end renovations and created a "luxury cinema" with carefully designed interiors at a cost of nearly 2.3 million euros.

Read more on Barron's

Scripps said it will carefully review and evaluate the proposal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• anxiously 
• attentively 
• conscientiously www.thesaurus.com
• correctly www.thesaurus.com
• deliberately 
• delicately 
• discreetly 
• faithfully 
• fully 
• gingerly 
• laboriously 
• meticulously 
• precisely 
• prudently 
• rigorously 
• scrupulously 
• thoroughly 
• thoughtfully www.thesaurus.com
• warily