Synonyms

cautiously

American

[kaw-shuhs-lee] / ˈkɔ ʃəs li /

adverb

in a way that shows alertness and prudence in a hazardous or uncertain situation; carefully; warily.

He stepped cautiously onto the loose planks.
I am cautiously optimistic that both parties will accept the compromise.

Other Word Forms

hypercautiously adverb
ultracautiously adverb
uncautiously adverb

Etymology

Origin of cautiously

First recorded in 1610–20; cautious ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Lacking both the respect of the clergy and Khomeini's personal popularity, the new supreme leader moved cautiously to build his own power base.

From BBC

A doctor in northern Iran said he was “cautiously hopeful” about the strikes.

From The Wall Street Journal

I held the boot cautiously away from me.

From Literature

Overall, Clarke says he feels cautiously optimistic about the proposed changes highlighted in the White Paper.

From BBC

But cautiously, the taxi driver took to the streets for work Monday.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023