cautiously

cautiously — adverb

1. acting or speaking in a careful way, after thinking about possible dangers, prob

1.副詞B2
釋義

acting or speaking in a careful way, after thinking about possible dangers, problems, or mistakes — for example, driving slowly on an icy road, or waiting to see how a situation develops before making a decision.

例句

The hikers moved cautiously along the narrow path near the cliff edge.

collocation: move cautiously + location

Investors are cautiously watching the stock market before buying new shares.

同義詞
  • carefully

    more general; cautiously adds a sense of risk-awareness that carefully does not always carry

  • warily

    stronger suspicion of hidden danger; cautiously is more neutral and practical

  • prudently

    more formal and often describes wise long-term decisions rather than immediate actions

反義詞
  • recklessly

    doing something without thinking about the dangers

  • rashly

    acting too quickly without enough thought

用法筆記

Often emphasizes a deliberate slowness or extra attention before or during an action, rather than a general personality trait.

2. used before an adjective (especially 'optimistic') to say that someone hopes for

2.副詞B2
釋義

used before an adjective (especially 'optimistic') to say that someone hopes for a good outcome but knows that problems or uncertainties still exist — for example, being cautiously hopeful about a patient's recovery, or cautiously positive about a business deal that is not yet final.

例句

Doctors said they were cautiously optimistic about the patient's recovery after the surgery.

fixed phrase: cautiously optimistic + about

The CEO gave a cautiously positive forecast, noting unresolved supply chain issues.

同義詞
  • guardedly

    more formal and implies holding back strong emotion; cautiously is more common in everyday use

  • reservedly

    suggests holding back expression of feelings; cautiously focuses more on awareness of risks

反義詞

用法筆記

Most commonly pairs with the adjective 'optimistic' — this combination is a fixed expression in English. Other adjectives used in this pattern include 'hopeful', 'positive', 'confident', and 'pleased'.

常見錯誤

❌I am cautiously that the plan will work.
✅I am cautiously optimistic that the plan will work.
💡'cautiously' modifies an adjective; it does not replace one.