# caution vs cautious

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### caution
*noun · IPA /ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/ · frequency rank #7,426*
Prudence when faced with, or when expecting to face, danger; care taken in order to avoid risk or harm.

### cautious
*adjective · IPA /ˈkɔːʃəs/ · frequency rank #9,717*
Using or exercising caution; careful; tentative

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caution-vs-cautious