adjective
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discreet or cautious in managing one's activities; circumspect
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practical and careful in providing for the future
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exercising good judgment or common sense
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prudent
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin prūdent- (stem of prūdēns ), contraction of prōvidēns provident
Explanation
Describe an action as prudent if it is the wise thing to do under the existing circumstances. If you're getting in trouble, it is probably prudent to keep your mouth closed and just listen. If you show good and careful judgment when handling practical matters, you can be described as prudent. Similarly, a wise and well-thought-through decision or action can be called prudent. The word comes from a contracted form of the Latin prōvidēns, from the verb "to foresee." The English word provident, "wise in planning for the future," is the non-contracted descendent of the same Latin root.
Vocabulary lists containing prudent
100 Top "SAT" Words
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The Hobbit
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Grade 10, List 4
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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.
When overseeing retirement accounts, employers have a fiduciary duty to make prudent decisions and put their workers’ interests first.
From Salon • Jul. 9, 2026
Generation Z takes fewer risks than previous generations, but we aren’t more prudent than our parents or grandparents were at our age.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026
But she says it might be prudent for employers to agree to short-notice leave requests.
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026
“It’s not prudent to get there overnight,” Rogers said.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026
Madison’s prudent and silent intervention rescued Jefferson from the secessionist implications of his revolutionary principles and artfully concealed the huge discrepancy between their respective views of the Constitution.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
