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.
But that teaches another more cautionary lesson about collecting nemeses: Salieri never figured out how to channel his gnawing envy into motivation.
From Salon • May 16, 2026
If anything, “Obsession” serves as a cautionary tale — for boys.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Today, Nike’s China business is flailing—a cautionary tale of an American giant caught in the tar pit of China’s hypercompetitive and increasingly nationalistic consumer market.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
The 2021 “transitory” episode is a relevant cautionary tale.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
Their curiosity always got the best of them, making him feel like a science experiment, a cautionary tale.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
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.
