prudently
adverb
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It Is Prudent to Read Up on This Word History
Prudent arrived in Middle English around the 14th century and traces back, by way of Middle French, to the Latin verb providēre, meaning "to see ahead, foresee, provide (for). "Providēre" combines pro-, meaning "before, and vidēre, meaning "to see, and it may look familiar to you; it is also the source of our "provide," "provident," "provision," and "improvise." "Vidēre" also has many English offspring, including "evident," "supervise," "video," and "vision."
Examples of prudent in a Sentence
An endless war is not always the most moral or the most prudent course of action.
—
Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 2 Sept. 2002
We missed the Mass for St. Rose of Lima, who, though prudent, had failed to be martyred and was therefore only second-string.
—Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
Prudent burners take several precautions. Burning one of two bordering fields, they wet the edge of one or the other, usually the one being burned, to prevent the flames from jumping.
—Alec Wilkinson, Big Sugar, 1989
Since the inexplicable power of a magnetized needle to "find" the north smacked of black magic … . For many decades the prudent sea captain consulted his compass secretly.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
He always listened to her prudent advice.
You made a prudent choice.
Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 2 Sept. 2002
We missed the Mass for St. Rose of Lima, who, though prudent, had failed to be martyred and was therefore only second-string.
—Darryl Pinckney, High Cotton, 1992
Prudent burners take several precautions. Burning one of two bordering fields, they wet the edge of one or the other, usually the one being burned, to prevent the flames from jumping.
—Alec Wilkinson, Big Sugar, 1989
Since the inexplicable power of a magnetized needle to "find" the north smacked of black magic … . For many decades the prudent sea captain consulted his compass secretly.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
He always listened to her prudent advice.
You made a prudent choice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Not all stocks will weather the storm equally, but undervalued, dividend-paying companies—particularly those with strong balance sheets and a track record of prudent capital discipline—are well-positioned to navigate the turbulence.
—John Buckingham, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Her action was no surprise—judges don’t tend to be well disposed toward efforts to bump them off cases, which is why prudent litigants are wary of making such requests.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025
During a State of the City presentation at the Delta Theater, Brentwood Mayor Susannah Meyer and the council cited responsible planning, prudent financial decisions, and active community engagement as the pillars that Brentwood will rely on to bring continuous growth to the city.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025
Therefore, although premia remain elevated, hedging may be the prudent course.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prudent
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John Buckingham, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Her action was no surprise—judges don’t tend to be well disposed toward efforts to bump them off cases, which is why prudent litigants are wary of making such requests.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025
During a State of the City presentation at the Delta Theater, Brentwood Mayor Susannah Meyer and the council cited responsible planning, prudent financial decisions, and active community engagement as the pillars that Brentwood will rely on to bring continuous growth to the city.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025
Therefore, although premia remain elevated, hedging may be the prudent course.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prudent
Cite this Entry
“Prudent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prudent. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
prudent
adjective
pru·dent
ˈprüd-ᵊnt 
: characterized by, arising from, or showing prudence
prudently
adverb
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