circumspection

noun

Definition of circumspectionnext
as in carefulness
a close attentiveness to avoiding danger circumspection is always good when considering charging someone with cheating

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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 circumspection Faragna motioned to Nardulli to step to one side and spoke into his ear with circumspection. — Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026 The machine moves with circumspection, as if consciousness had just been ensouled in a new body. — Stephen Witt, New Yorker, 6 July 2026 His quiet tone is not shyness or false modesty but circumspection and a sense of boundaries that imply respect and love for real communication. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026 This circumspection was by design. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026 Taking over a large country ought to be done with circumspection and consensus, not the self-aggrandizement and demagoguery of a massive personality disorder. — John Brummett, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026 The higher the production value, the faster the host is talking, and the more likely the kinetic nature of the video is to send your nervous system into full-on seizure mode, the more likely the information delivered is to be viewed with a certain level of circumspection. — Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2025 And so, in this department, a certain degree of circumspection is the rule. — Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 There’s much more circumspection in Alan than people give him credit for. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumspection
  1. carefulness
  2. caution
  3. prudence
  4. care
Noun
  • This carefulness is clearly strategic.
    — Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • There was no carefulness in it.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Definition of carefulness
Noun
  • The result is a power train that feels beautifully matched to the car’s available grip and suspension tuning, creating a sense of balance that encourages exploration rather than caution.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Energy is where the tension between optimism and caution remains sharpest.
    — Sophie Dembinski, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of caution
Noun
  • Notably, Marvell built some prudence into that spending guide, assuming the current rate of capex growth will moderate over the forecast period and move closer to historical levels in the out-years.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
  • That might well be a sign of prudence on the part of fashion brands, which have been trying to boost full-price sales by not over-ordering inventory.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of prudence
Noun
  • While we are relieved that Heidi has received medical care and is safe, we are outraged by this unwarranted attack on a journalist doing her job and urge a thorough investigation and follow-through from authorities.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The foundation has also supported Dell Children’s Medical Center, which opened in 2007, and the Dell Pediatric Research Institute, helping expand access to specialized children’s care and medical research in the region.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of care

Browse Nearby Words

circumspect
circumspection
circumspectly
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Cite this Entry

“Circumspection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumspection. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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