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Synonyms

prudent

American  
[prood-nt] / ˈprud nt /

adjective

  1. wise or judicious in practical affairs; discreet or circumspect; sagacious; sober.

    Synonyms:
    careful, cautious, sensible

  2. careful in providing for the future; provident.

    a prudent decision.
    Synonyms:
    frugal, thrifty, economical
prudent British  
/ ˈpruːdənt /

adjective

  1. discreet or cautious in managing one's activities; circumspect

  2. practical and careful in providing for the future

  3. exercising good judgment or common sense

"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

Other Word Forms

  • nonprudent adjective
  • preprudent adjective
  • prudently adverb
  • superprudent adjective
  • unprudent adjective

Etymology

Origin of prudent

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin prūdent- (stem of prūdēns ), contraction of prōvidēns provident

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.