Judicious means showing good judgment and wisdom in making decisions. A judicious person thinks carefully before acting, weighing the options and considering what might happen next. When a teacher makes a judicious choice about how to handle a conflict between students, she considers everyone's feelings and the long-term effects of her decision, looking beyond the quickest fix.

The word suggests combining knowledge, experience, and thoughtfulness in decision-making. Someone who is judicious uses all these elements together. A judicious reader doesn't race through a confusing paragraph but slows down to make sure she understands it. A judicious scientist doesn't jump to conclusions from a single experiment but gathers more evidence first.

You might hear someone praise a judicious use of resources, like a coach who uses his strongest players at just the right moments instead of wearing them out, or a writer who makes judicious cuts to her story, removing parts that don't help the plot. The opposite of judicious would be reckless, impulsive, or careless. When you face an important choice, being judicious means taking the time to think it through, considering the consequences, and making the wisest decision you can with the information you have.