Words / C1

PROODNT/ˈpruːdnt/

Prudent means careful and showing good judgement about risk or money: a prudent delay, prudent use of funds. Careful and cautious (already in the dictionary) are everyday cousins; judicious (already in the dictionary) is “wisely judged”; reckless is opposite. Do not call a lucky rush prudent after it worked.

Meaning

Careful and showing good judgement, especially about risk or money.

Examples

• “A prudent delay beat a noisy note with no date.”
• “Cautious is everyday and already in this course. Careful is wider. Judicious is the close C1 twin. Prudence is the noun (and a lookalike in jurisprudence). A coin-flip that landed well is luck, not prudence. Wait for the date.”

Good to know

Cautiously wise about risk. Everyday: careful / cautious. Close: judicious (already in the dictionary). Luck after the fact is not prudence.

Near in meaning

cautious

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