Meaning
It is better to be careful and take precautions than to regret an accident later.
Cultural Background
Used heavily in corporate safety training and everyday life. Commonly used in travel and weather contexts. Used in outdoor/nature safety contexts. Used in winter driving contexts.
Use it as a standalone
You can say this phrase all by itself after you do something cautious.
Don't over-explain
The phrase itself is the explanation. You don't need to add more words after it.
Meaning
It is better to be careful and take precautions than to regret an accident later.
Use it as a standalone
You can say this phrase all by itself after you do something cautious.
Don't over-explain
The phrase itself is the explanation. You don't need to add more words after it.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word.
It is better safe than ____.
The idiom is 'better safe than sorry'.
Which situation is best for this phrase?
You are about to go for a hike and the sky looks cloudy. What do you say?
Bringing a raincoat is a precautionary action.
Match the phrase with its meaning.
Better safe than sorry
The phrase is about preventative caution.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Should we lock the car? B: ____.
This is the most natural response to a safety question.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesIt is better safe than ____.
The idiom is 'better safe than sorry'.
You are about to go for a hike and the sky looks cloudy. What do you say?
Bringing a raincoat is a precautionary action.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
The phrase is about preventative caution.
A: Should we lock the car? B: ____.
This is the most natural response to a safety question.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
3 questionsYes, it is perfectly acceptable in professional communication to justify a cautious decision.
It is an elliptical proverb, so it doesn't follow standard sentence rules, but it is perfectly correct in English.
That is also correct and slightly more formal.
Related Phrases
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
similarPreventing problems is better than fixing them.
Look before you leap
similarCheck before acting.
Safety first
similarPrioritize safety.
Better late than never
contrastDoing something late is better than not doing it.
