as in preventative
concerned with or serving to keep something from happening
prior to the game, we moved the furniture out of the way as a precautionary measure
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Recent Examples of precautionary
The precautionary principle is one classic response.
—
Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Redick said Thiero was held out for precautionary reasons after his knee didn’t react well to playing in a G League game then playing in Detroit two days later.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Nearly all participants reported taking at least some precautionary measures when spending time outdoors.
—Emily Bache, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
The Nuggets decided to rule him out as a precautionary measure.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
Officers from the Clinton Police Department responded immediately and safely evacuated all students from the bus as a precautionary measure, according to Mangs.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
The American University of Beirut moved classes online and called it a precautionary measure.
—Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
The American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University, also in Beirut, moved classes online and called it a precautionary measure.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
For precautionary reasons, Musgrove underwent an MRI a couple of weeks ago.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Redick said Thiero was held out for precautionary reasons after his knee didn’t react well to playing in a G League game then playing in Detroit two days later.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Nearly all participants reported taking at least some precautionary measures when spending time outdoors.
—Emily Bache, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
The Nuggets decided to rule him out as a precautionary measure.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
Officers from the Clinton Police Department responded immediately and safely evacuated all students from the bus as a precautionary measure, according to Mangs.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
The American University of Beirut moved classes online and called it a precautionary measure.
—Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
The American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University, also in Beirut, moved classes online and called it a precautionary measure.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
For precautionary reasons, Musgrove underwent an MRI a couple of weeks ago.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precautionary
Adjective
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People without health insurance tend to seek less preventative treatment, become sick more frequently, and die younger than do people with insurance.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
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O'Hara acknowledged that various groups within the city are working on preventative measures.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Bassan said she was also inspired by actor Angelina Jolie, who disclosed her own preventive mastectomy in a 2013 column in The New York Times.—
Brett Kelman,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Mobile clinics help close this gap by bringing preventive, primary, and behavioral health care directly to where people live, work, and gather.—
Crystal Cene,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precautionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precautionary. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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