Definitions

careful

[kair-fuhl] / ˈkɛər fəl /

ADJECTIVE

cautious; painstaking

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accurate attentive choosy circumspect concerned conscientious deliberate discreet judicious leery meticulous mindful precise prudent rigorous scrupulous sober thorough thoughtful vigilant wary

STRONG

detail-oriented

WEAK

alert apprehensive assiduous chary conservative cool exacting fastidious finicky fussy going to great lengths guarded heedful observant particular playing safe prim protective provident punctilious regardful religious selfdisciplined shy solicitous solid

Antonyms

STRONGEST

careless false foolish heedless idiotic inaccurate inattentive incautious inconsiderate indiscreet inexact irrational lax loose negligent questionable rash reckless thoughtless uncareful uncaring unscrupulous unwise

WEAK

unconcerned

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.

No matter the reading, investors should be careful about extrapolating March’s trend into the coming months.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

All profit assumptions are subject to the delete key, so be careful about overpaying for the future.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Former Liverpool and England defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live that Slot needed to be "careful" with the teenager but that he had "earned his right to play".

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

The most important thing for candidates is to “emphasize they have worked with AI tools and they have done it in a responsible and careful fashion,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

“It makes them mental, every time you bring up the adoption, or your birth parents, or anything like that. They start pussyfooting around and being so careful, like, ‘Now, Jonah .

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Vocabulary lists containing careful

"Earthquake"

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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"

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Unit 9

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