caution
alertness and prudence in a hazardous situation; care; wariness: Landslides ahead—proceed with caution.
a warning against danger or evil; anything serving as a warning: By way of caution, he told me the difficulties I would face.
Informal. a person or thing that astonishes or causes mild apprehension: She's a caution. The way he challenges your remarks is a caution.
to give warning to; advise or urge to take heed.
to warn or advise: The newspapers caution against overoptimism.
Origin of caution
1synonym study For caution
Other words for caution
Opposites for caution
Other words from caution
- cau·tion·er, noun
- o·ver·cau·tion, noun, verb (used with object)
- re·cau·tion, verb (used with object)
- su·per·cau·tion, noun
- un·cau·tioned, adjective
- well-cautioned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use caution in a sentence
Whether operators will heed this advice or proceed without caution remains to be seen.
Free money, big addictions: Inside the booming world of online sports betting | Brett Haensel | November 15, 2020 | FortuneYour extra caution this year will help ensure that next year can be a lot closer to normal.
How to plan a COVID-safe Thanksgiving, week-by-week | Kate Baggaley | October 30, 2020 | Popular-ScienceI wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some lapsing in the degree of caution that’s part of the problem in our caseloads rising.
Daily coronavirus caseload surpasses 2,000 in D.C. region again, as infection rates continue to rise | Dana Hedgpeth, Rachel Chason | October 29, 2020 | Washington PostRistenpart and Aithinne both say they would fly right now if it was absolutely necessary, while wearing masks and observing all possible cautions.
COVID-19 continues to make flying a risky proposition | Kat Eschner | October 21, 2020 | Popular-ScienceI think it is heavily weighted to punish big, decisive, impactful moves and reward caution.
U.S. scientists cautioned that the drug had not yet proven to be as beneficial to humans as it apparently was to monkeys.
Why the White Americans Got the ‘Secret’ Ebola Serum | Michael Daly | August 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTCamarillo also cautioned families about other clues that may be worth further examination before allowing someone into your home.
Well, maybe it was a gamma-ray burst, or maybe it was something else, cautioned some others.
But he cautioned that last-minute snags could still derail an agreement.
But Dr. Rebecca Brightman, an ob-gyn in private practice, cautioned that such fears are overblown.
I should have made the dumplings with more fruit in them, master, only Letty cautioned me not to be extravagant with the plums.
The World Before Them | Susanna MoodieWith an air of self-importance he cautioned the house to beware; if they excited that cry again, it would be at their peril.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. | E. Farr and E. H. NolanLandy rasped his feet to evenness and cautioned that he would have to be shod if used on hard-surfaced roads.
David Lannarck, Midget | George S. Harney"You'd better not lean out so far," cautioned Bess, and then the door closed behind them.
The Story of the Big Front Door | Mary Finley Leonard"I think we'd better keep quiet as soon as we reach the vicinity of the holes," cautioned Dick.
The Rover Boys on the Farm | Arthur M. Winfield (AKA Edward Stratemeyer)
British Dictionary definitions for caution
/ (ˈkɔːʃən) /
care, forethought, or prudence, esp in the face of danger; wariness
something intended or serving as a warning; admonition
law, mainly British 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
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
informal an amusing or surprising person or thing: she's a real caution
(tr) to urge or warn (a person) to be careful
(tr) law, mainly British to give a caution to (a person)
(intr) to warn, urge, or advise: he cautioned against optimism
Origin of caution
1Derived forms of caution
- cautioner, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with caution
see throw caution to the winds.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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