carefully

[ kair-fuh-lee ]

adverb

1. in a cautious way, with attention to possible risks and dangers:

   Although somewhat "folksy" in his interview, the congressman carefully avoided pitfalls where he would be vulnerable to attack.

2. in a thorough, attentive, or painstaking way, giving thought to avoiding errors or omissions:

   I have to carefully examine the copy editor's marked-up manuscript, double-checking everything and approving or vetoing changes.

Other Word Forms

• qua·si-care·ful·ly adverb
• ul·tra·care·ful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of carefully¹

First recorded before 1000; careful ( def ) + -ly ( def )

Example Sentences

On Wednesday NHS Fife, the health board involved in the case, told the BBC it noted the clarity provided by the ruling and would "carefully consider the judgment."

From BBC

The court carefully weighs the letter of the law, but it's worth remembering that ultimately that law is drafted by politicians - and it can be changed at the stroke of a pen.

From BBC

The information is carefully vetted unless it comes from family members, a state agency or a funeral home, Flick said in a court declaration.

From Los Angeles Times

The selected procedures, it says, are all carefully chosen because they are essential to ensuring a prompt diagnosis and stabilisation of emergency patients.

From BBC

It’s the face of the cake, the glossy veneer, the carefully crafted crown that covers any flaws and makes a dramatic first impression.

From Salon

Related Words

• anxiously
• attentively
• conscientiously
• correctly
• deliberately
• delicately
• discreetly
• faithfully
• fully
• gingerly
• laboriously
• meticulously
• precisely
• prudently
• rigorously
• scrupulously
• thoroughly
• thoughtfully
• warily