judicious
7 synonyms and 3 antonyms for judicious, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Showing good sense and careful judgement in making a decision.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use judicious
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
judicious use
judicious choice
judicious mix
judicious decision
Formal; common in reviews, legal and academic writing.
Etymology
Via French judicieux from Latin judicium, meaning judgement.
Full origin of judicious →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between judicious and judicial?
Judicious means wise and well-judged and can describe anyone's decisions. Judicial relates specifically to law courts, judges and legal proceedings. A judge can make an injudicious judicial ruling, so the two are entirely separate.
What is the difference between judicious and prudent?
Prudent stresses caution and avoiding risk, usually about the future. Judicious stresses the quality of the reasoning itself — weighing the options well. A prudent choice is safe; a judicious one is well thought out.
