careful

adjective

care·​ful ˈker-fəl How to pronounce careful (audio)
carefuller; carefullest
Synonyms of careful
1
a
: 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 money
careful 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
carefully
ˈker-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce careful (audio)
adverb
carefulness
ˈker-fəl-nəs How to pronounce careful (audio)
noun

Synonyms of careful

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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

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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Be careful of disaster donation scams Major disasters can also lead to fraudulent fundraising efforts. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 Roberts is careful to note artificially intelligent algorithms like the type deployed by Exiger are not infallible. — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Her election to the General Assembly came at a time of transition from careful ticket balancing achieved by party insiders at state nominating conventions to an era of primaries. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2026 Because delivery information arrives through a health portal, be careful with unexpected texts or emails claiming to contain a tracking update. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for careful

Word History

Etymology

see care entry 1

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of careful was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing careful

Rhymes for careful

See All Rhymes for careful

Browse Nearby Words

carefree
careful
carefully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Careful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/careful. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

careful

adjective
care·​ful ˈke(ə)r-fəl How to pronounce careful (audio)
ˈka(ə)r-
1
: using care : watchful
a careful driver
2
: made, done, or said with care
a careful examination
carefully
-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce careful (audio)
adverb
carefulness
-fəl-nəs How to pronounce careful (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on careful

Nglish: Translation of careful for Spanish Speakers

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