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.

Joe James acted in the Silk White movie “Be Careful What You Ask For” in 2020 and noticed the director was doing everything himself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

Careful and varied testing is essential to determine whether a model truly has the skills it appears to demonstrate.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2026

"Careful thought must be given to how the proposals translate into practical support - including recruitment and retention strong enough to meet growing needs," he says.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

Careful to be as vague as possible, she continues: “I can’t spoil it. There’s a lot of time I spend completely on my own. I’m not giving away anything am I? Make sure I’m not!”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2025

Careful with her movements, careful with her words.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Vocabulary lists containing careful

"Earthquake"

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Unit 9

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!