caution

American  

[kaw-shuhn] / ˈkɔ ʃən /

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.

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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 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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Related Words

See warn.

Other Word Forms

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

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

There are still uncertainties about El Nino's arrival and impacts, and scientists caution that forecasts should be interpreted with that in mind.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

But the store remained closed, cordoned off with caution tape.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

The researchers caution that patients should not expect GLP-1 drugs to become arthritis treatments anytime soon.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

Then, as if to caution the whale, she added: “Ferry! Be careful.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

And preparing for a hunt, his father would caution a full moon, hanging over the foothills, “Don’t shine too bright, you’ll make the creatures skittish.”

From "Sounder" by William H. Armstrong

Related Words

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