circumspect
adjective
Did you know?
Circumspect, cautious, wary, and chary all imply looking before you leap, but each puts a unique spin on being careful in the face of risk or danger. Circumspect, which descends from Latin circum- ("around") and specere ("to look"), implies the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding (as in "he is circumspect in business dealings"). Cautious suggests fear of danger and the exercise of forethought that it prompts (as in "a cautious driver"). Wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in sensing danger and cunning in escaping it (as in "keep a wary eye on the competition"). Chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely (as in "she is chary of signing papers without reading them first").
Synonyms
- alert
- careful
- cautious
- chary
- conservative
- considerate
- gingerly
- guarded
- heedful
- safe
- wary
Example Sentences
Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 30 Aug. 2022 Henry, who has coached players like Amari Cooper, Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry across his career, is more circumspect. Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Aug. 2022 Kurtzman, who previously worked on J.J. Abrams’ Trek movie, was more circumspect. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 July 2022 In conversation, Kravchenko is measured, circumspect, unsparing in her self-analysis, with flashes of wry humor. New York Times, 5 Aug. 2022 General López-Calleja was a circumspect person who had become gradually more visible in official events as the armed forces businesses came to play a growing role in Cuba’s economy. Andrea RodrÍguez, BostonGlobe.com, 1 July 2022 Desire takes shape in circumspect flashes of moving bodies performing for one another. Jack Parlett, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2022 The Ukrainians had previously been somewhat circumspect about their involvement in a series of behind-enemy-lines attacks in Crimea, including one assault that the Ukrainians said included the work of partisans and destroyed fighter jets. BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2022 It’s a sweet but oddly circumspect film, ruled by a friction between warring demands: the allure of wistful memories and the rigor of complex appraisal. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2022 See More Word History
Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French circonspect, from Latin circumspectus, from past participle of circumspicere to look around, be cautious, from circum- + specere to look — more at spy
15th century, in the meaning defined above
circumspect
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- cautious
- careful
- wary
- alert
- chary
- guarded
- considerate
- heedful
- conservative
- gingerly
- thoughtful
- vigilant
- safe
- watchful
- attentive
- observant
- regardful
- cagey
- foresighted
- shrewd
- deliberate
- advertent
- awake
- canny
- slow
- foresightful
- provident
- hypercautious
- cagy
- calculating
- forethoughtful
- ultracautious
- ultracareful
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- careless
- reckless
- impetuous
- heedless
- unmindful
- bold
- unsafe
- unguarded
- rash
- regardless
- incautious
- venturesome
- brash
- negligent
- thoughtless
- unwary
- inattentive
- lax
- imprudent
- indiscreet
- remiss
- injudicious
- inconsiderate
- neglectful
- asleep
- forgetful
- inadvertent
- unintentional
- unplanned
- absentminded
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of circumspect are cautious, chary, and wary. While all these words mean "prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk," circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding.
The words cautious and circumspect can be used in similar contexts, but cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger.
While the synonyms chary and circumspect are close in meaning, chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely.
The words wary and circumspect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it.