Definition of carefulnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word careful different from other adjectives like it?

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

When can meticulous be used instead of careful?

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

When could punctilious be used to replace careful?

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

In what contexts can scrupulous take the place of careful?

While in some cases nearly identical to careful, scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical.

scrupulous honesty

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of careful What took a careful researcher 10 minutes can now take a machine seconds. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026 Don't use a propane torch on a windy day, and be careful to avoid burning either yourself or any of the objects adjacent to the weeds. David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 16 May 2026 Just be careful when handling the hot water so you don’t get burned. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 May 2026 On artificial intelligence, his position is careful. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for careful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for careful
Adjective
  • In a groove Phil Maton is cautious to ever declare that his delivery has fully come together.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
  • Beneath the measured pace of transactions — collectors more cautious, galleries recalibrating, auction houses tempering expectations — the intellectual and aesthetic stakes of contemporary art feel newly urgent.
    Andrew S. Jacobson, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2026
Adjective
  • The competitive clinic market has also pushed standards higher, with advanced technology and meticulous service now the norm for visitors seeking everything from a basic facial to more involved cosmetic procedures.
    Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2026
  • On the other hand, the state legislature was not meticulous about complying with the procedure that the state constitution lays out for proposing amendments.
    Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • Many prospective buyers are now wary of taking on a mortgage.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
  • Be wary of requests for unusual payment methods, like peer-to-peer apps or checks.
    Janay Reece, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • Or a group of high-minded, dutiful, quite-conscientious California voters?
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
  • So naturally, the thought of turning Hypergnosis into an ethical company doesn’t compute, even to a seemingly conscientious person like Harper, who likens Anushka’s vision to buying a jet and asking where the brakes are.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 May 2026
Adjective
  • Residents from Oklahoma to Iowa, including the cities of Kansas City, Omaha, Lincoln and Des Moines, are also being advised to stay alert for twisters.
    Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 18 May 2026
  • Investigations become bottlenecks because alert volume increasingly outpaces human reasoning.
    K.H. Koehler, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • As such, a loving relationship will demand awareness that, sometimes, not every truth needs to be delivered in its rawest form.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
  • From a young age, we're taught to greet people, regardless of their age, and even compliment them, so everyone is very accepting and loving.
    Zama Magudulela, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • There’s yet another reason to be diligent with your daily SPF.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 14 May 2026
  • In the end, after a monthslong investigation and diligent forensic work, partial remains of 70 of the 110 victims were identified and returned to family members who, to this day, carry the pain of that day in 1996.
    Hank Tester, CBS News, 12 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Careful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/careful. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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