Definition of precautionnext
as in safeguard
a measure taken to preclude loss or injury as parents of young children, they have taken the usual precaution of locking up their household cleansers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 precaution The pilot was the only person on board and was taken to a hospital as a precaution. Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026 Race organizers took precautions to make sure runners didn't overheat. Dawn White, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 Right guard Trey Smith missed multiple practices with a hip injury and was sent to a specialist as a precaution, forcing Benson to shift inside while Moore moved to right tackle, Sweeney reported on Day 9. Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026 Tight styles aren’t just something to avoid until your scalp calms down—they’re worth limiting as an ongoing precaution. Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for precaution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precaution
Noun
  • Meta agreed to a landmark settlement worth up to $17 billion, promising new safeguards on Facebook and Instagram after states alleged that the platforms were engineered to addict and harm kids.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Milanesi agrees safeguards should be in place, but isn’t convinced AI replacing humans on spreadsheets is necessarily inviting a higher risk of error.
    Marc Saltzman, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In addition to making anti-vaccine comments, Kennedy also downplayed pediatric deaths related to measles and touted false cures and preventives, such as the use of vitamin A.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 June 2026
  • Padlocks, sickles and other objects made of iron, a metal said to possess anti-demonic powers, were stashed in the grave as preventives.
    Franz Lidz, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
Noun
  • The approach can provide thermal protection without pumps or circulating coolant.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, many drivers opt for uninsured motorist coverage for additional financial protection, which can increase insurance costs.
    McKynzie Steward, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In light of the strong growth and inflation figures, the BOK would likely need to continue to raise rates, albeit with some caution, said Frederic Neumann, chief Asia economist at HSBC.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • His predictions mostly involved preaching to the AI evangelist choir, and his fervor for the tech evidently led him to throw caution to the winds of Wall Street.
    Frank Landymore, Futurism, 27 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Precaution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precaution. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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