# careful

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈkɛɹfəl/ · frequency rank #2,519

## Definitions
1. Taking care; attentive to potential danger, error or harm; cautious.
2. Conscientious and painstaking; meticulous.
3. Full of care or grief; sorrowful, sad.
4. Full of cares or anxiety; worried, troubled.

## Etymology
From Middle English careful, from Old English carful; equivalent to care + -ful.

## Easily confused with
- **carefully** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/careful-vs-carefully)

## Common misspellings (10)
`acreful`, `caerful`, `carefful`, `careflu`, `carefull`, `careufl`, `carfeul`, `carreful`, `ccareful`, `craeful`

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