Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Heedful of circumstances and potential consequences; prudent.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Literally, looking about on all sides; hence, examining carefully all the circumstances that may affect, a determination; watchful on all sides; cautious; wary.
  • To look on all sides of; examine carefully; scrutinize.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Attentive to all the circumstances of a case or the probable consequences of an action; cautious; prudent; wary.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Carefully aware of all circumstances; considerate of all that is pertinent.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective heedful of potential consequences

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Latin circumspectus, past participle of circumspicere, to take heed : circum-, circum- + specere, to look; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin circumspectō ("look around").

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Examples

  • I'm confused by your use of the word circumspect, though, in reference to your new location.

    Ferule & Fescue Flavia 2006

  • Gates praises Reagan for 'circumspect' use of U.S. military

    First full Senate health care showdown could happen next week 2009

  • CNN: Gates praises Reagan for 'circumspect' use of U.S. military

    POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: November 11, 2009 2009

  • Gates praises Reagan for 'circumspect' use of U.S. military

    Gates praises Reagan for 'circumspect' use of U.S. military 2009

  • Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised President Ronald Reagan on Tuesday for being "circumspect" about putting American credibility or troops at risk in the absence of "a clear mission or strong odds of success."

    POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: November 11, 2009 2009

  • WASHINGTON (CNN) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised President Ronald Reagan on Tuesday for being "circumspect" about putting American credibility or troops at risk in the absence of "a clear mission or strong odds of success."

    Gates praises Reagan for 'circumspect' use of U.S. military 2009

  • I like the word "circumspect," and all of the synonyms for that word, including, "careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment; discreet."

    Let Your Words be Few Belinda 2008

  • And I would talk to him about it, and he was kind of circumspect about the whole thing.

    CNN Transcript May 28, 2008 2008

  • I like the word "circumspect," and all of the synonyms for that word, including, "careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment; discreet."

    Archive 2008-08-01 Belinda 2008

  • And there was a period throughout the '50s when Ellington products and works were released when Ellington had the opportunity to be more effusive or to at least even acknowledge Strayhorn - when the score to "Paris Blues" was issued or the score to "Anatomy of a Murder" or the score to "Beggar's Holiday" - when he was kind of circumspect about the truth.

    Billy Strayhorn: Jazz Composer Gets His Due 2007

Comments

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  • look around,take heed

    June 19, 2007