Meaning & use
judicious
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparableformalapproving
Showing careful thought and good sense, so that the choice made is wise and well timed.
Grammar: Often before a noun: a judicious choice; or after a verb with in: judicious in spending.
Patterns
- judicious in doing something
- a judicious use of something
She made a judicious decision to save part of her pay.
The manager's judicious use of the budget kept the project alive.
A judicious word at the right moment calmed the argument.
Word forms
| comparative | more judicious |
|---|---|
| superlative | most judicious |
Common combinations
- judicious use of
- The judicious use of salt improves any soup.
- judicious choice
- Choosing the quieter route was a judicious choice.
- judicious decision
- The board made a judicious decision to wait.
- judicious balance
- The book strikes a judicious balance between fact and opinion.
- judicious in
- He was judicious in handing out criticism.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wise
- Wise is simpler and covers deep character, while judicious refers to a particular carefully weighed choice.
- prudent
- Prudent stresses caution and avoiding risk, whereas judicious stresses good judgment, which can include bold moves.
- sensible
- Sensible is plain and everyday, and judicious sounds more formal.
- discerning
- Discerning is about noticing fine differences, while judicious is about acting wisely on them.
Opposites
Word family
- judiciously adverb
- in a wise, careful way
- judiciousness noun
- the quality of good judgment
- judgment noun
- the ability to decide well
- injudicious adjective
- showing poor judgment
Commonly confused: judicious or judicial?
judicious vs judicial
Judicial relates to courts and judges, while judicious means wise and sensible. A judicial decision comes from a court; a judicious one is simply well considered.
Practice
The chef's ___ use of spices gave the dish flavor without overpowering it.
Choose one answer.
Judicious means showing good sense, which fits careful use. Judicial relates to courts and is the tempting wrong option.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “judicious”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.