precautionary
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or characterized by precaution.
precautionary measures.
-
expressing or advising precaution.
precautionary warnings against possible tornadoes.
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
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.
In 2025, the National Marine Fisheries Service concluded oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico would lead to the Rice's whale's extinction and recommended precautionary measures such as reducing vessel speeds.
From BBC
The Derbyshire-based company filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators "as a precautionary measure" on 11 March.
From BBC
Overall, the risk that policy uncertainty poses to near-retirees and retirees seems substantial, imposing considerable costs on households as they take precautionary actions, as well as harming the economy.
From MarketWatch
"This is still quite an unknown area in lots of respects and we've taken a precautionary approach," Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said.
From BBC
Set up automatic transfers into bank accounts, use password managers to access your online accounts and boost your computer data security with antivirus software and other precautionary steps.
From MarketWatch
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.
