caution

[kaw-shuhn]

noun

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.

verb (used with object)

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

   Synonyms: forewarn, admonish

verb (used without object)

1. to warn or advise.

   The newspapers caution against overoptimism.

caution

/ 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

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of caution¹

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; caveat

Word History and Origins

Origin of caution¹

C13: from Old French, from Latin cautiō, from cavēre to beware

Idioms and Phrases

see throw caution to the winds.

Synonym Study

See warn.

Example Sentences

Republicans caution White House over inflicting shutdown pain on Americans.

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An Airbus manual from 2016—before the maintenance changes—cautioned that if not properly addressed, an aircraft would encounter “repeated occurrences.”

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A 2023 study of 21 companies that offer direct-to-consumer tests cautioned that the trend raises ethical issues, including the use of personal data and the potential lack of follow-up for abnormal results.

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The key, he cautions, is to cook the chicken until it releases from the grates with little resistance.

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Economists continue to expect net trade will be a tailwind for gross domestic product in the third quarter, but they caution the effect may be smaller than previously expected.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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