careful
adjective
care·ful ˈker-fəl 
carefuller; carefullest
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 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
carefully
ˈker-f(ə-)lē
adverb carefulness
ˈker-fəl-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- alert
- cautious
- chary
- circumspect
- conservative
- considerate
- gingerly
- guarded
- heedful
- safe
- wary
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web The families all had children too young to be vaccinated and continued to be careful about virus exposure. 
Julia O'malley, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2022 Kitting yourself up for any outdoor sport is a game of careful consideration. The Editors, Outside Online, 6 Sep. 2022 Now those women are all trapped in their homes, and Gailani’s family has to be very careful about going anywhere. Kate Morrissey, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Aug. 2022 The total cure time for most countertop paint jobs is around 14 days, so be careful about using your space before then. Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2022 One of our sons has always been very careful about his diet and follows all the latest research on the most healthful way to eat. Amy Dickinson, cleveland, 17 Aug. 2022 Consider a budget carrier: Bangs said budget carriers should be considered for going point to point in the United States, but be careful about out-of-country flights. Forrest Brown, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022 The decision to reduce the number of hours worked is one that can only be made with careful consideration, with leaders considering both the future of the business and the perspective of their workers. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 For parents without cargo bikes, hauling groceries and laundry merits careful consideration. Kendra Hurley, Good Housekeeping, 22 July 2022 See More
Julia O'malley, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2022 Kitting yourself up for any outdoor sport is a game of careful consideration. The Editors, Outside Online, 6 Sep. 2022 Now those women are all trapped in their homes, and Gailani’s family has to be very careful about going anywhere. Kate Morrissey, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Aug. 2022 The total cure time for most countertop paint jobs is around 14 days, so be careful about using your space before then. Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2022 One of our sons has always been very careful about his diet and follows all the latest research on the most healthful way to eat. Amy Dickinson, cleveland, 17 Aug. 2022 Consider a budget carrier: Bangs said budget carriers should be considered for going point to point in the United States, but be careful about out-of-country flights. Forrest Brown, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022 The decision to reduce the number of hours worked is one that can only be made with careful consideration, with leaders considering both the future of the business and the perspective of their workers. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022 For parents without cargo bikes, hauling groceries and laundry merits careful consideration. Kendra Hurley, Good Housekeeping, 22 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see care entry 1
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a
Phrases Containing careful
Kids Definition
careful
adjective
care·ful ˈker-fəl
1
: using care
a careful driver
2
: made, done, or said with care
careful planning
She gave a careful answer.
careful
adjective
1
as in cautious
having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble careful drivers slow down on slick or icy roadways Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- cautious
- wary
- alert
- circumspect
- considerate
- thoughtful
- heedful
- chary
- guarded
- conservative
- safe
- vigilant
- gingerly
- watchful
- attentive
- observant
- deliberate
- regardful
- slow
- shrewd
- awake
- foresighted
- advertent
- canny
- hypercautious
- forethoughtful
- calculating
- cagey
- provident
- foresightful
- ultracareful
- ultracautious
- cagy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- careless
- reckless
- unsafe
- bold
- unmindful
- heedless
- regardless
- impetuous
- unwary
- negligent
- rash
- incautious
- unguarded
- thoughtless
- inattentive
- venturesome
- lax
- brash
- imprudent
- neglectful
- inconsiderate
- injudicious
- remiss
- indiscreet
- asleep
- inadvertent
- forgetful
- unintentional
- unplanned
- absentminded
2
as in meticulous
taking, showing, or involving great care and effort that furniture maker was known to be a most careful worker, so his output was small Synonyms & Similar Words
- meticulous
- conscientious
- diligent
- loving
- cautious
- scrupulous
- thorough
- painstaking
- intensive
- thoughtful
- patient
- assiduous
- vigilant
- watchful
- mindful
- circumspect
- fussy
- wary
- strict
- persevering
- deliberate
- exhaustive
- attentive
- particular
- indefatigable
- thoroughgoing
- observant
- sedulous
- critical
- accurate
- finicky
- heedful
- chary
- fastidious
- zealous
- precise
- slow
- determined
- guarded
- discriminating
- studied
- gingerly
- tenacious
- demanding
- exacting
- alert
- tireless
- plodding
- dogged
- exact
- all-out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- careless
- regardless
- cursory
- incautious
- negligent
- inattentive
- heedless
- sloppy
- lax
- unsafe
- unwary
- halfhearted
- imprecise
- neglectful
- slipshod
- mindless
- slovenly
- reckless
- unguarded
- uncritical
- inaccurate
- bold
- impetuous
- lazy
- indifferent
- undiscriminating
- undemanding
- rash
- lackadaisical
- apathetic
- lazyish
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of careful are meticulous, punctilious, and scrupulous. While all these words mean "showing close attention to detail," careful implies attentiveness and cautiousness in avoiding mistakes.
a careful worker
Although the words meticulous and careful have much in common, meticulous may imply either commendable extreme carefulness or a hampering finicky caution over small points.
meticulous scholarship
The words punctilious and careful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, punctilious implies minute, even excessive attention to fine points.
punctilious observance of ritual
While in some cases nearly identical to careful, scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical.
scrupulous honesty