prudently
adverb
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It Is Prudent to Read Up on This Word History
Prudent arrived in Middle English around the 14th century and traces back, by way of Middle French, to the Latin verb providēre, meaning "to see ahead, foresee, provide (for). "Providēre" combines pro-, meaning "before, and vidēre, meaning "to see, and it may look familiar to you; it is also the source of our "provide," "provident," "provision," and "improvise." "Vidēre" also has many English offspring, including "evident," "supervise," "video," and "vision."
Synonyms
Examples of prudent in a Sentence
An endless war is not always the most moral or the most prudent course of action.
—
Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 2 Sept. 2002
We missed the Mass for St. Rose of Lima, who, though prudent, had failed to be martyred and was therefore only second-string.
—Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
Prudent burners take several precautions. Burning one of two bordering fields, they wet the edge of one or the other, usually the one being burned, to prevent the flames from jumping.
—Alec Wilkinson, Big Sugar, 1989
Since the inexplicable power of a magnetized needle to "find" the north smacked of black magic … . For many decades the prudent sea captain consulted his compass secretly.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
He always listened to her prudent advice.
You made a prudent choice.
Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 2 Sept. 2002
We missed the Mass for St. Rose of Lima, who, though prudent, had failed to be martyred and was therefore only second-string.
—Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
Prudent burners take several precautions. Burning one of two bordering fields, they wet the edge of one or the other, usually the one being burned, to prevent the flames from jumping.
—Alec Wilkinson, Big Sugar, 1989
Since the inexplicable power of a magnetized needle to "find" the north smacked of black magic … . For many decades the prudent sea captain consulted his compass secretly.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
He always listened to her prudent advice.
You made a prudent choice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Flagstar’s recent financial achievements underscore the significance of prudent risk management in the banking sector.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 31 Jan. 2025
Hiring a pro is a prudent choice after a major life change like getting married or divorced, having a baby, buying or selling a home or business, experiencing a major health issue, or retiring.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025
The letter’s main request—that Samoan officials do nothing more than perform genetic testing on the circulating virus—sounds prudent.
—Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
The prudent path could be for the organization to move toward a retool.
—Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prudent 
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Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 31 Jan. 2025
Hiring a pro is a prudent choice after a major life change like getting married or divorced, having a baby, buying or selling a home or business, experiencing a major health issue, or retiring.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025
The letter’s main request—that Samoan officials do nothing more than perform genetic testing on the circulating virus—sounds prudent.
—Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
The prudent path could be for the organization to move toward a retool.
—Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prudent
Dictionary Entries Near prudent
Cite this Entry
“Prudent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prudent. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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Legal Definition
prudent
adjective
pru·dent
ˈprüd-ᵊnt 
: characterized by, arising from, or showing prudence
prudently
adverb
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