circumspect

[sur-kuh m-spekt]

See more synonyms for circumspect on Thesaurus.com

adjective

watchful and discreet; cautious; prudent: circumspect behavior.
well-considered: circumspect ambition.

Origin of circumspect

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin circumspectus (past participle of circumspicere to look around), equivalent to circum- circum- + spec(ere) to look + -tus past participle suffix

Related formscir·cum·spect·ly, adverbcir·cum·spect·ness, nounnon·cir·cum·spect, adjectivenon·cir·cum·spect·ly, adverbnon·cir·cum·spect·ness, nouno·ver·cir·cum·spect, adjectiveun·cir·cum·spect, adjectiveun·cir·cum·spect·ly, adverbun·cir·cum·spect·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for circumspect on Thesaurus.com

1. careful, vigilant, guarded.

Antonyms

1. careless, indiscreet.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for circumspect

Contemporary Examples

Some of the Americans joining ISIS are less than circumspect, especially online.
How Many Americans in ISIS? No One Knows
Eli Lake
September 5, 2014
(LOC 1011-1015) One more adjective could be added to Summer's list: circumspect.
David's Bookclub: The New New Deal
David Frum
December 1, 2012
The president alluded to that authority when he spoke about the killing, indicating his awareness of a need to be circumspect.
Black America’s Heartbreaking Burdens
Randall Kennedy
March 28, 2012
But his subsequent actions will remain case by case and circumspect.
Israel: No Peace in Sight
Leslie H. Gelb
May 16, 2011
The poet remains coolly detached: a circumspect observer in the face of cataclysm.
Catastrophe in Verse
Eliza Griswold
April 21, 2011

Historical Examples

One must be so circumspect—so much upon one's guard with all the world.
Tales And Novels, Volume 5 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
Even the most wary, circumspect, and suspicious, might thus be overcome.
Imogen
William Godwin
But she was dutiful to him, and he was circumspect in his behaviour before her.
Captain Blood
Rafael Sabatini
And yet it may be repeated that Lieutenant Russell was the most guarded and circumspect of men.
A Waif of the Mountains
Edward S. Ellis
There never was a man who did such rash things in so circumspect a manner.
Lord George Bentinck
Benjamin Disraeli

British Dictionary definitions for circumspect

circumspect

adjective

cautious, prudent, or discreet

Derived Formscircumspection, nouncircumspective, adjectivecircumspectly, adverb

Word Origin

C15: from Latin circumspectus, from circum- + specere to look

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

Word Origin and History for circumspect

adj.

early 15c., from Latin circumspectus "deliberate, guarded, well-considered," past participle of circumspicere "look around, take heed," from circum- "around" (see circum-) + specere "to look" (see scope (n.1)). Related: Circumspectly; circumspectness.

circumspect

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}circumspect

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples from the Web for circumspect

Contemporary Examples

Some of the Americans joining ISIS are less than circumspect, especially online.

(LOC 1011-1015) One more adjective could be added to Summer's list: circumspect.

The president alluded to that authority when he spoke about the killing, indicating his awareness of a need to be circumspect.

But his subsequent actions will remain case by case and circumspect.

The poet remains coolly detached: a circumspect observer in the face of cataclysm.

Historical Examples

One must be so circumspect—so much upon one's guard with all the world.

Even the most wary, circumspect, and suspicious, might thus be overcome.

But she was dutiful to him, and he was circumspect in his behaviour before her.

And yet it may be repeated that Lieutenant Russell was the most guarded and circumspect of men.

There never was a man who did such rash things in so circumspect a manner.

circumspect

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for circumspect

adj.

Origin of circumspect