1. The state, quality, or fact of being prudent.
2. Careful management; economy.

SYNONYMS   prudence, discretion, foresight, forethought, circumspection. These nouns refer to the exercise of good judgment, common sense, and even caution, especially in the conduct of practical matters. Prudence is the most comprehensive: "She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older" (Jane Austen). Discretion suggests wise self-restraint, as in resisting a rash impulse: "The better part of valor is discretion" (Shakespeare). Foresight implies the ability to foresee and make provision for what may happen: She had the foresight to make backups of her computer files. Forethought suggests advance consideration of future eventualities: The empty refrigerator indicated a lack of forethought. Circumspection implies discretion, as out of concern for moral or social repercussions: "The necessity of the times, more than ever, calls for our utmost circumspection" (Samuel Adams).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.