Discretion

n. thoughtful, kind professional

What it means

Good judgment about privacy, timing, restraint, and possible consequences.

Reach for it when praising a careful choice about what to say, reveal, or do

The counselor used discretion when arranging a private entrance for the family.

Words to choose between 7

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom. Tap a word to see when it fits.
warm
professional
formal
  • warm

    discernment

    Fits when perceptive judgment separates the wise option from the merely attractive one

    Careful Discernment concerns seeing differences; discretion governs what someone then does with that insight.

  • professional

    confidentiality

    Fits when information must not be disclosed beyond an authorized group

    Careful Confidentiality is a duty or condition, not the wider judgment about timing and manner.

  • professional

    judgment

    Fits when the overall quality of a decision is being praised

    Careful Judgment is broad and says nothing about quiet handling or withheld information.

  • professional

    tact

    Fits when sensitive wording protects another person's feelings

    Careful Tact concerns social handling and may not cover confidentiality or a high-stakes decision.

  • formal

    circumspection

    Fits when careful consideration precedes every move

    Careful Circumspection can sound wary or slow where swift confidential action was needed.

  • formal

    prudence

    Fits when caution about future risk guides the choice

    Careful Prudence centers self-protection and consequences, while discretion often protects someone else's privacy.

  • formal

    restraint

    Fits when choosing not to speak or act prevents harm

    Careful Restraint can become passivity even when the underlying choice is unwise.

Opposites 3

  • indiscretion
  • recklessness
  • tactlessness

Common phrases 4

  • use discretion

    Editors use discretion when a detail could identify a vulnerable source.

  • professional discretion

    Professional discretion kept the diagnosis out of the public schedule.

  • exercise discretion

    The coordinator exercised discretion before sharing the family's request.

  • great discretion

    She handled the disputed letter with great discretion.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Neskaya, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated