Make Your Point: JUDICIOUS

Make Your Point > Archived Issues > JUDICIOUS

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

pronounce JUDICIOUS:

joo DISH us

connect this word to others:

Think of a show you enjoy.

Now think of that show's most judicious character: the one who's the wisest, the most sensible, the most reasonable and level-headed.

On The Simpsons, it's probably Lisa. Here she is on a fishing trip: "My brother is using worms [for bait]. But I, who feel the tranquility far outweighs the actual catching of fish, am using nothing."

And here, she counsels her father: "Don't you see? Getting what you want all time will ultimately leave you unfulfilled and joyless."

Most judicious of all, here she turns down a donut:

(Source)

It's all remarkably judicious for an elementary school kiddo. Lisa is wise, shrewd, astute, prudent, diplomatic, and sag____us ("smart in a quick, practical way, like a hunting dog who can quickly sniff out a correct trail").

Can you recall that last synonym?

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

The word "judicious" traces back to a Latin word meaning "judge."

Judicious things and people are the kind that have or show wise judgment. They're sensible, practical, and reasonable, especially when it comes to putting limits or restraints on things.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Adjective: "a judicious budget," "a judicious silence."

Other forms:

Judiciously, judiciousness;
injudicious, injudiciously, injudiciousness.

how to use it:

The word "judicious" is common and formal, with a positive tone.

Say that it would be judicious for someone to do (or not do) something.

Or, talk about people's judicious taste, selections, comments, actions, decisions, budgeting, use of resources, etc. "He's judicious in interviews about revealing personal details." "Let's be a little more judicious with the exclamation points."

examples:

"He goes away at judicious intervals, on business, giving me a chance to miss him."
— Margaret Atwood, Cat's Eye, 1988

"Some of these publishers push multiple notifications throughout the day, while others like the NYTimes.com are more judicious, sending just one or no notifications in a day."
— Steve Cooper, Forbes, 11 February 2014

has this page helped you understand "judicious"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "judicious" without saying "rational" or "self-controlled."

try it out:

Fill in the blanks: "If you want to (accomplish some goal), then (doing something stupid, unwise, wasteful, or offensive) isn't exactly judicious."

Example 1: "If you want to increase attendance, then lecturing the team members who did show up to practice isn't exactly judicious."

Example 2: "Scott called religion 'the biggest source of evil' — maybe not the most judicious way to promote an expensive movie that relies on the support of fundamentalist Christian audiences."
— Richard Corliss, Time, 13 December 2014

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for this month is "Oh Hey, That's the Title!"

I'll give you a short excerpt from a novel, a play, or a short story.

Actually, today's is a work of nonfiction. Gotta keep you on your toes.

In this excerpt, a character or a narrator actually says the title. (If not verbatim, then almost.) And you give me the title.

Highlight the hints if you need them, and see the answer by scrolling all the way down. Enjoy!

Try this last one today:

"We have grown distant from the _____. It has seemed remote and irrelevant to everyday concerns. But... the most basic human events and the most trivial trace back to the universe and its origins. This book is devoted to the exploration of that cosmic perspective."

To reveal the hints below, highlight the hidden white text.

Hint 1: This book was published in the year... 1980.
Hint 2: This book was written by... Carl Sagan.
Hint 3: The first letter of this title is... "C____"

review this word:

1. The precise opposite of JUDICIOUS is INJUDICIOUS. But a pretty close opposite of JUDICIOUS is

A. RECKLESS.
B. MORALIZING.
C. CONSISTENT.

2. A judicious cook _____.

A. uses the right amount of spice: not too little, not too much
B. starts every recipe with a stick of butter: arteries be damned
C. can taste any new dish once and recreate it perfectly at home

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

Make Your Point > Archived Issues > JUDICIOUS Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to "Make Your Point" for a daily vocabulary boost.

Make Your Point > Archived Issues > JUDICIOUS

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.