precautionary

American  

[pri-kaw-shuh-ner-ee] / prɪˈkɔ ʃəˌnɛr i /

Sometimes precautional

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by precaution.

   precautionary measures.

2. expressing or advising precaution.

   precautionary warnings against possible tornadoes.

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Usage

What does precautionary mean? Precautionary is used to describe actions taken in advance to prevent something negative from happening or to lessen the impact of the negative thing if it does happen. Such actions are called precautions. This sense of precautionary is most commonly seen in the phrase precautionary measures, which is essentially a synonym for precautions. Precaution can also be used as a verb meaning to warn, and precautionary can also mean expressing a warning, as in Police have posted a precautionary message advising all residents to stay indoors due to the chemical spill. Example: Officials said they have taken several precautionary measures to secure the city in advance of the storm.

Etymology

Origin of precautionary

First recorded in 1740–50; precaution + -ary

Explanation

Anything that might prevent something unpleasant or dangerous from happening is precautionary. If you're babysitting your neighbor's three year old triplets, you might want to hide every fragile thing in your house as a precautionary measure first. If you do it beforehand to protect someone or something, it's precautionary. You may be sure you don't have a concussion after wiping out on your bike, but getting checked out at the emergency room would be a smart, precautionary move anyway. Putting on your helmet before you raced your bike down that hill was also precautionary. The Late Latin source of precautionary is praecautionem, "a safeguarding," from the Latin praecavere, "to guard against beforehand."

Example Sentences

The UK government -- which counts Pitcairn as an overseas territory -- said the woman was not symptomatic, but it was still taking a "precautionary approach".

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

The hospital in the city of Nijmegen said on Monday this was a precautionary measure, as the workers did not follow strict protocols while handling the patient's blood and urine samples.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

Last week, rival Standard Chartered disclosed precautionary credit charges of $190 million related to the Middle East conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

The club then confirmed that he was "conscious, talking and undergoing precautionary checks" in hospital.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

This explains the precautionary measure with the handkerchief.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank