proverb · Words worth keeping
Better safe than sorry.
Better safe than sorry.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying prefers precaution now to regret later. It gives preventing an avoidable problem priority over dealing with its consequences.
Example
Someone checks an important detail before an irreversible step when the check is practical and relevant.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Better names a preference without specifying the risk or the precaution. A useful application can compare a proportionate check with the consequences it addresses. The phrase does not make every restrictive action worthwhile or promise that caution eliminates uncertainty.
When to use it
Use it to assess proportionate precautions for an identified risk.
Keep in mind
Caution does not guarantee safety or justify every restriction.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown