cautioned him against

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cautioned him against" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when advising someone to avoid a particular action or behavior that may lead to negative consequences. Example: "She cautioned him against investing in that risky venture, warning him of the potential losses."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

But the guard cautioned him against it.

The New York Times

Everyone has cautioned him against it.

The New Yorker

The locomotive engineer cautioned him against using cold water.

The New Yorker

Clapper, the director of national intelligence, cautioned him against it.

The New Yorker

When Paisley first arrived in Nashville, some record executives cautioned him against becoming a hat guy.

The New Yorker

"We had provided him with escort and had cautioned him against traveling too much," Mr. Khan said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

Still, several players, including the defensive captain Justin Tuck, have approached Wilson in recent days to caution him against continuing to do the back flip.

The New York Times - Sports

He said the justice, foreign and interior ministers had met with Wilders to caution him against the film, but the Dutch government believed it "critical to avoid the appearance [it] would try to censor the film".

The Guardian

But Trump's top aides, in particular national security adviser John Bolton, hold a skeptical view of the Kim regime, cautioning him against making concessions and favoring a maximum pressure campaign aimed at bending the regime to comply with U.S. demands, according to officials and diplomats familiar with the deliberations.

The Washington Post

"I'd caution him against linking things directly to the debt limit," he said.

Huffington Post

When he met President George H. W. Bush at a White House reception for newly elected members of Congress, Wellstone, ignoring protocol, spoke out, urging the president to spend more time on issues like education and cautioning him against invading Iraq.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cautioned him against" when you want to indicate a warning or advice against a specific action or behavior, implying that there might be negative consequences.

Common error

While "cautioned him against" is generally acceptable, consider the context. In extremely informal settings, a simpler term like "told him not to" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cautioned him against" functions as a verb phrase indicating advice or warning. It is used to express that someone has been advised not to do something, suggesting potential negative consequences. Ludwig confirms the usability of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Science

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cautioned him against" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression for advising someone to avoid a particular action, as validated by Ludwig. It is most frequently found in news and media contexts, with a neutral to formal register. Ludwig AI also provided useful related phrases such as "warned him against" or "advised him not to", and some insights on its usage in sentences. When using the phrase, remember to consider the context and the level of formality required to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

warned him against

Directly replaces "cautioned" with a stronger term, "warned", emphasizing potential danger or negative consequences.

advised him against doing

Adds the gerund form to clarify the action being cautioned against.

advised him not to

Uses a more common and straightforward structure with "advised" instead of "cautioned".

discouraged him from

Focuses on deterring action, suggesting a potential for reluctance or hesitation.

counseled him against

Suggests a more thoughtful and considered warning, often implying expertise.

dissuaded him from

Implies a successful attempt to convince someone not to do something.

urged him not to

Indicates a strong recommendation against something.

tried to prevent him from

Shifts the focus to the act of preventing, rather than advising.

alerted him to the dangers of

Highlights the potential risks involved in the action.

forewarned him about

Emphasizes the act of giving advance notice of potential problems.

FAQs

What does "cautioned him against" mean?

The phrase "cautioned him against" means to advise or warn someone not to do something, typically because it could be dangerous or have negative consequences.

Are there synonyms for "cautioned him against"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "warned him against", "advised him not to", or "discouraged him from" depending on the context and desired level of emphasis.

How can I use "cautioned him against" in a sentence?

You can use it as in, "His advisors "cautioned him against" making any rash decisions before all the facts were clear".

Is it better to say "cautioned him against" or "warned him against"?

Both phrases are correct, but "warned him against" implies a stronger sense of potential danger than "cautioned him against".