exercise great care

USAGE SUMMARY

"exercise great care" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it whenever you want to emphasize the need to be cautious, deliberate, and thoughtfully attentive. For example, you could write, "Exercise great care when handling fragile items."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Teams would be encouraged to exercise great care in employing players with suspect behavior.

The New York Times

What we should take away in all of this is a reminder to exercise great care in judging how long is too long — or too short — to grieve.

The New York Times

The jury would certainly ask, "Could they all be lying?" Because jurors find prior-bad-acts evidence so powerful, judges generally exercise great care in deciding whether to admit it.

The New Yorker

"It may be obviously dirty, so that he knows to exercise great care, or it may seem fairly clean, so that he may be lulled into a false sense of security.

The Economist

Such threats have not squelched the opposition or the passions which fuel it, but they have forced reform-minded Iranians to exercise great care, and often to flee their own country.

The New York Times

The extent of the advice on what the agency refers to as "missing contents" is this: "T.S.A screeners exercise great care during the screening process to ensure that your contents are returned to your bag every time a bag needs to be opened".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

In a comment letter early last year, Deloitte wrote, "We are not aware of evidence showing that disclosing an engagement partner's name in the audit report would increase the partner's sense of accountability or that it would cause the engagement partner to exercise greater care in performing the audit".

The New York Times

He went on to state that killer robots may be better able to determine when not to engage a target than humans, "and could potentially exercise greater care in so doing".

BBC

Where researchers know that their work is going to be reviewed and assessed, they exercise greater care in the process of gathering the information, leading in turn to enhanced reliability of results.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Clearly, Mr. Clark was exercising great care not to roil regulators with his purchases.

The New York Times

Coltrane himself exercised great care in the emotional weight of the music: the voice of his saxophone could be either tender or scary, but he made the piece creep up on you, with short melodic motifs that gathered force.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When advising someone to "exercise great care", provide specific examples of potential risks or negative outcomes to reinforce the importance of caution.

Common error

Avoid using "exercise great care" in situations where a simple, common-sense approach is sufficient. Overusing it can make your writing sound overly dramatic or condescending.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exercise great care" functions as an imperative, advising someone to be cautious and diligent. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase emphasizes the need for deliberate and thoughtful attention to the task at hand. The examples show it used in contexts ranging from handling sensitive information to making important decisions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "exercise great care" is a commonly used and grammatically correct expression that advises caution and diligence. According to Ludwig AI, it emphasizes the need for deliberate and thoughtful attention. It's prevalent in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts, suggesting a relatively formal tone. When using this phrase, specify potential risks and avoid overuse in commonplace situations. Alternatives include "proceed with caution" and "be extremely cautious". Remember to tailor your choice to the specific context to maintain the appropriate level of formality and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

proceed with caution

This alternative suggests a gradual and careful approach to avoid potential risks.

be extremely cautious

This emphasizes a high degree of wariness and circumspection.

take considerable precaution

This phrase highlights the act of taking preventative measures.

act with prudence

This suggests behaving wisely and thoughtfully to avoid negative outcomes.

handle with kid gloves

This idiom indicates treating something or someone delicately and carefully.

pay close attention

This focuses on giving thorough and careful consideration.

be vigilant

This emphasizes being watchful and alert to potential dangers or difficulties.

remain circumspect

This suggests being wary and unwilling to take risks.

mind your Ps and Qs

This idiom means to be careful and correct in one's behavior.

look before you leap

This proverb advises considering the consequences before taking action.

FAQs

How can I use "exercise great care" in a sentence?

You can use "exercise great care" when you want to emphasize the need for caution and attention to detail. For example: "You should "proceed with caution" and "exercise great care" when handling sensitive information."

What is a good alternative to "exercise great care"?

Alternatives to "exercise great care" include "be extremely cautious", "take considerable precaution", or "act with prudence". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "exercise great care" or "exercise greater care"?

Both phrases are grammatically acceptable, but "exercise great care" is more common. "Exercise greater care" is also fine, and you can choose it if you want to give slightly more emphasis on the "greater" aspect.

What does it mean to "exercise great care"?

To "exercise great care" means to be very cautious, deliberate, and thoughtful in your actions, especially when dealing with potentially risky or sensitive situations. It implies taking necessary precautions to avoid errors or negative consequences.