caution

American  

[kaw-shuhn] / ˈkɔ ʃən /

noun

cautions plural

1. alertness and prudence in a hazardous situation; care; wariness.

   Landslides ahead—proceed with caution.

   Synonyms:

   vigilance, heed, watchfulness, discretion, circumspection

   Antonyms:

   carelessness

2. a warning against danger or evil; anything serving as a warning.

   By way of caution, he told me the difficulties I would face.

   Synonyms:

   counsel, advice, admonition

3. Informal. a person or thing that astonishes or causes mild apprehension.

   She's a caution. The way he challenges your remarks is a caution.

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verb (used with object)

cautions, present (3rd person singular) cautioned, past participle, past cautioning present participle

1. to give warning to; advise or urge to take heed.

   Synonyms:

   forewarn, admonish

verb (used without object)

cautions, present (3rd person singular) cautioned, past participle, past cautioning present participle

1. to warn or advise.

   The newspapers caution against overoptimism.

caution British  

/ ˈkɔːʃən /

noun

1. care, forethought, or prudence, esp in the face of danger; wariness

2. something intended or serving as a warning; admonition

3. law a formal warning given to a person suspected or accused of an offence that his words will be taken down and may be used in evidence

4. a notice entered on the register of title to land that prevents a proprietor from disposing of his or her land without a notice to the person who entered the caution

5. informal an amusing or surprising person or thing

   she's a real caution

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verb

1. (tr) to urge or warn (a person) to be careful

2. (tr) law to give a caution to (a person)

3. (intr) to warn, urge, or advise

   he cautioned against optimism

caution Idioms  

1. see throw caution to the winds.

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Synonym Usage

See warn.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cautioner
  noun
• overcaution
  noun
• supercaution
  noun
• recaution
  verb (used with object)
• uncautioned
  adjective
• well-cautioned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cautions
  plural

Participles

• cautioning
  present
• cautioned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• caution
  simple
• cautions
  simple
• have cautioned
  perfect
• has cautioned
  perfect
• am cautioning
  progressive
• are cautioning
  progressive
• is cautioning
  progressive
• have been cautioning
  perfect progressive
• has been cautioning
  perfect progressive

Past

• cautioned
  simple
• had cautioned
  perfect
• was cautioning
  progressive
• were cautioning
  progressive
• had been cautioning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will caution
  simple
• will have cautioned
  perfect
• will be cautioning
  progressive
• will have been cautioning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of caution

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English caucion, from Latin cautiōn-, stem of cautiō “a taking care,” from caut(us) “taken care” (past participle of cavēre “to take care”) + -iō -ion; cf. caveat

Explanation

If you act with caution, it means you are careful. Be sure to use caution when walking across a patch of ice. Otherwise, you might end up sprawling face-first on the ground. Ouch! The noun caution can be used to describe something that calls for careful action and the need to avoid risk, such as a volatile political situation that requires extreme caution. The word also has a verb form with a similar meaning. It’s a more formal way of saying “warn” and usually appears with against or that, as in, "Teachers caution against waiting until the last minute to study," or, "They caution that effective studying takes a long time."

Example Sentences

The Welsh Ambulance Service has warned dehydration and fatigue from the heat could cause falls, while South Wales Fire and Rescue has advised extra caution around open water.

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026

This could reflect caution on the German logistics company’s part or highlight that the tailwinds bolstering results will be temporary as air freight capacity is restored and the conflict eases, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

Gustavo Duque, mayor of Chacao, a middle-class Caracas neighbourhood, urges caution in interpreting the red sign too simply.

From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026

Despite the encouraging findings, the researchers caution that the work remains at an early stage.

From Science Daily • Jul. 8, 2026

Brahe’s caution about committing himself to this, the dissolution of the celestial spheres, is probably what had caused the delay in publication.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• attention
• care
• discretion
• foresight
• prudence
• vigilance