1 careful | Definition of careful
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careful

adjective
care·​ful | \ ˈker-fÉ™l How to pronounce careful (audio) \
carefuller; carefullest

Definition of careful

1a : marked by wary caution or prudence be very careful with knives
b : marked by attentive concern and solicitude careful farm management
c : marked by painstaking effort to avoid errors or omissions —often used with of or an infinitive careful of moneycareful to adjust the machine
2 : exercising or taking care careful of a child's welfare

3 archaic

a : solicitous, anxious
b : filling with care or solicitude
Other Words from careful Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about careful

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Other Words from careful

carefully \ ˈker-​f(É™-​)lÄ“ How to pronounce carefully (audio) \ adverb
carefulness \ ˈker-​fÉ™l-​nÉ™s How to pronounce carefulness (audio) \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for careful

careful, meticulous, scrupulous, punctilious mean showing close attention to detail. careful implies attentiveness and cautiousness in avoiding mistakes. a careful worker meticulous may imply either commendable extreme carefulness or a hampering finicky caution over small points. meticulous scholarship scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical. scrupulous honesty punctilious implies minute, even excessive attention to fine points. punctilious observance of ritual

careful and cautious mean taking care to avoid trouble. careful is used for a person who is able to prevent mistakes or accidents by being alert. Be careful when you paint the fence. cautious is used for a person who takes care to avoid further problems or difficulties. A cautious driver will drive slowly in bad weather.

Examples of careful in a Sentence

He is a careful driver. You can never be too careful about these things. Be careful! The stove is hot! She was careful of their feelings. The police were careful to leave the room exactly as they found it. Police made a careful examination of the scene. They produced a careful study of the building.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 But forecasters and emergency management officials are still warning people to be careful. — Martin Finucane, BostonGlobe.com, "How Dorian could affect Massachusetts and New England this week," 3 Sep. 2019 But any assessment of social data needs to be careful not to misread what the data are really saying about the public. — Joseph Cabosky, The Conversation, "4 reasons why social media election data can misread public opinion," 28 Aug. 2019 Council members Jennifer Staubach Gates and Lee Kleinman said Johnson was careful to have left his previous law firm because of its business with the city. — Hayat Norimine, Dallas News, "Dallas mayor secures new job as partner at major law firm Locke Lord," 26 Aug. 2019 Add 1/3 cup room temperature wine reduction and fully mix to incorporate with the beef - being careful not to overmix. — Danielle Pointdujour, Essence, "These Juicy Burger Recipes Put New Spins On A Classic Dish," 23 Aug. 2019 While their intentions are good, Goldrick-Rab warns community college administrators to be careful before entering any deals. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Back on campus, students confront a challenging housing market," 20 Aug. 2019 Watch yourself: Be careful, but in a threatening kind of way. — Ruth Kinane, EW.com, "5 reasons you should stop everything and watch Derry Girls on Netflix right now," 20 Aug. 2019 His campaign has been careful with how much time Biden gives to reporters and the unfiltered public, but in Central City Biden stuck around, lingering outside the venue as people came up to him with questions and requests for selfies. — Eric Lach, The New Yorker, "Why Joe Biden’s Gaffes Matter," 13 Aug. 2019 For all our careful sorting, less than 5 percent of plastic in the U.S. gets recycled. — Rowan Jacobsen, Outside Online, "An Ocean Plastics Field Trip for Corporate Executives," 8 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'careful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of careful

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

History and Etymology for careful

see care entry 1

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More Definitions for careful

careful

adjective
How to pronounce careful (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of careful

: using care
: made, done, or said with care

See the full definition for careful in the English Language Learners Dictionary

careful

adjective
care·​ful | \ ˈker-fÉ™l How to pronounce careful (audio) \

Kids Definition of careful

1 : using care a careful driver
2 : made, done, or said with care careful planning She gave a careful answer.

Other Words from careful

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