cautiously

cautiously — adverb

1. acting or speaking in a careful way, after thinking about possible dangers, prob

1.adverbB2
Definition

acting or speaking in a careful way, after thinking about possible dangers, problems, or mistakes — for example, driving slowly on an icy road, or waiting to see how a situation develops before making a decision.

Example

The hikers moved cautiously along the narrow path near the cliff edge.

collocation: move cautiously + location

Investors are cautiously watching the stock market before buying new shares.

Common collocations
  • move cautiously
  • approach cautiously
  • act cautiously
  • respond cautiously
  • tread cautiously
  • proceed cautiously
Synonyms
  • carefully

    more general; cautiously adds a sense of risk-awareness that carefully does not always carry

  • warily

    stronger suspicion of hidden danger; cautiously is more neutral and practical

  • prudently

    more formal and often describes wise long-term decisions rather than immediate actions

Antonyms
  • recklessly

    doing something without thinking about the dangers

  • rashly

    acting too quickly without enough thought

Usage Note

Often emphasizes a deliberate slowness or extra attention before or during an action, rather than a general personality trait.

2. used before an adjective (especially 'optimistic') to say that someone hopes for

2.adverbB2
Definition

used before an adjective (especially 'optimistic') to say that someone hopes for a good outcome but knows that problems or uncertainties still exist — for example, being cautiously hopeful about a patient's recovery, or cautiously positive about a business deal that is not yet final.

Example

Doctors said they were cautiously optimistic about the patient's recovery after the surgery.

fixed phrase: cautiously optimistic + about

The CEO gave a cautiously positive forecast, noting unresolved supply chain issues.

Common collocations
  • cautiously optimistic
  • cautiously hopeful
  • cautiously positive
  • cautiously confident
  • cautiously pleased
Synonyms
  • guardedly

    more formal and implies holding back strong emotion; cautiously is more common in everyday use

  • reservedly

    suggests holding back expression of feelings; cautiously focuses more on awareness of risks

Antonyms

Usage Note

Most commonly pairs with the adjective 'optimistic' — this combination is a fixed expression in English. Other adjectives used in this pattern include 'hopeful', 'positive', 'confident', and 'pleased'.

Common Mistakes

I am cautiously that the plan will work.
I am cautiously optimistic that the plan will work.
'cautiously' modifies an adjective; it does not replace one.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Cautiously, carefully, warily, and prudently all describe acting with awareness, but they differ in what kind of awareness. Carefully is the broadest — it simply means paying attention to detail, with no special focus on danger ('She carefully arranged the flowers'). Cautiously adds a clear sense of risk avoidance; you act cautiously when you expect something could go wrong. Warily carries stronger distrust or suspicion, as if expecting a hidden threat ('The dog watched the stranger warily'). Prudently is more formal and describes sensible long-term judgment ('They prudently saved money for retirement'). In everyday speech, cautiously is the best choice when the situation involves clear potential harm — for example, driving on a slippery road or making a financial decision where the outcome is uncertain.

cautiously ↗carefully ↗warilyprudently

Common collocations

Phrases

  • proceed cautiously
  • tread cautiously
  • approach cautiously

Prepositions

  • cautiously about
  • cautiously of

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Cautiously comes from the Latin word cautus, meaning 'careful' or 'watchful'. It entered English through French in the 1500s as cautious, and the -ly suffix was added to form the adverb meaning 'in a cautious manner'.