cautionary
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of cautionary
Explanation
When something is cautionary, it’s meant to be a warning to you. Your parents might be fond of telling cautionary tales, like the one about the girl who got electrocuted sticking a knife into the toaster. While driving, look for cautionary signs warning you of potential danger: falling rocks, kids crossing, hidden driveway. You might use cautionary words: “Watch your step! There’s glass all over the floor!” Don’t confuse cautionary with cautious, which means trying to avoid danger. Tell a cautionary tale about someone drowning because he swam too far out into the ocean and an overly cautious kid might decide never to swim again.
Vocabulary lists containing cautionary
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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Tone and Point of View, List 3
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World Without Fish
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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.
It might have been something of a cautionary tale.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Had Mitrovich been a more seasoned member of the bookish community, she might have heard the cautionary tale of Faleena Hopkins, an author of a series of self-published romances with “Cocky” in the title.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
They also offer a cautionary note for the overall market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
"This is a cautionary tale for understanding cerebellar activity in disease, but also for treating these challenging diseases," Van der Heijden said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 1, 2026
And so animals have a full system of cautionary signals designed to avoid a showdown, and they are quick to back down when they feel they can.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
