precautionary

Language: en

🇺🇸 /prɪˈkɔʃənɛriː/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Done or taken in advance to prevent something dangerous, unpleasant, or inconvenient from happening; serving as a precaution.; Relating to or based on the principle that action should be taken to avoid potential harm even in the absence of full scientific certainty, as in the precautionary principle.; Characterized by or showing caution; cautious in nature or approach.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Collocations

precautionary measureprecautionary principleprecautionary actionprecautionary stepprecautionary approachprecautionary warning

Derivatives

precautionprecautionarilyprecautions

Synonyms

preventiveprotectiveprophylacticdefensivesafeguarding

Antonyms

recklesscareless

Commonly confused

preventive
EN: 'Preventive' focuses on stopping something from happening; 'precautionary' emphasizes taking advance measures against a possible risk, often before the threat is certain.
cautionary
EN: 'Cautionary' serves as a warning (e.g., a cautionary tale); 'precautionary' describes actions taken in advance to guard against potential harm.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the 'au' diphthong in the middle: 'precautionary' comes from 'precaution' + '-ary'. Do not write *'precautionery' or *'precationary'.

💬 Examples

  1. The doctor recommended precautionary measures to avoid the spread of infection.

  2. The precautionary principle suggests that new chemicals should be tested thoroughly before being released into the environment.

  3. She took a precautionary approach to investing, preferring low-risk bonds over volatile stocks.