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.
“In the meantime, is it prudent for the Dutch to move gold out? The answer is: Yeah, I can understand it,” Blitz added.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 6, 2026
His impeachment defense team said Paxton made a prudent shift toward real estate at a time of rock-bottom interest rates.
From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026
His prudent approach is to avoid a single grand plan and embrace a multifaceted strategy that borrows pertinent insights from a variety of approaches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
That investment and others in the AI and tech sectors have paid off handsomely, but pivoting to a legacy NBA team with a locked-in elevated financial floor could be prudent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
It would not be prudent to send it.
From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg
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.
