better safe than sorry

bet·ter safe than sor·ry

proverb

It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to act recklessly and suffer afterwards.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

proverb
  1. It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to act recklessly and suffer afterwards.

    But I'll be stumbling away / Slowly learning that life is OK / Say after me / It's no better to be safe than sorry

    1985, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, “Take On Me”, in Hunting High and Low, performed by a-ha
    1 more example

    Moreover, apart from official restrictions, drivers do not a little easing of their engines on their own account, where they consider that the feel of the track makes this desirable; and they can hardly be blamed in consequence. It is better to be safe than sorry.

    1947 September and October, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 320

Translations

Bulgarian който сам се пази и Бог го пази
  • който сам се пази и Бог го пази (kojto sam se pazi i Bog go pazi)it is preferable to be cautious
Chinese Mandarin 小心駛得萬年船 /小心驶得万年船
  • 小心駛得萬年船 /小心驶得万年船 (xiǎoxīn shǐ dé wàn nián chuán)it is preferable to be cautious
Finnish parempi virsta väärää kuin vaaksa vaaraa, varmuus on aina paras
  • parempi virsta väärää kuin vaaksa vaaraait is preferable to be cautious
  • varmuus on aina parasit is preferable to be cautious
  • parempi katsoa kuin katuait is preferable to be cautious
French mieux vaut prévenir que guérir
  • mieux vaut prévenir que guéririt is preferable to be cautious
German Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht
  • Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsichtit is preferable to be cautious
Greek κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε
  • κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε (kállio gaïdouródene pará gaïdourogýreve)it is preferable to be cautious
Hebrew עדיף להיזהר מלהצטער
  • עדיף להיזהר מלהצטערit is preferable to be cautious
Hungarian jobb félni, mint megijedni
  • jobb félni, mint megijedniit is preferable to be cautious
Icelandic það er betra að hafa vaðið fyrir neðan sig, allur er varinn góður
  • það er betra að hafa vaðið fyrir neðan sigit is preferable to be cautious
  • allur er varinn góðurit is preferable to be cautious
Irish is fearr glas ná amhras
  • is fearr glas ná amhrasit is preferable to be cautious
Italian la prudenza non è mai troppa, meglio prevenire che curare
  • la prudenza non è mai troppait is preferable to be cautious
  • meglio prevenire che curareit is preferable to be cautious
Japanese 転ばぬ先の杖
  • 転ばぬ先の杖 (korobanu saki no tsue)it is preferable to be cautious
Malay بيار لمبت اصلکن سلامت, ايڠت سبلوم کنا, جيمت سبلوم هابيس
  • بيار لمبت اصلکن سلامتit is preferable to be cautious
  • ايڠت سبلوم کنا, جيمت سبلوم هابيسit is preferable to be cautious
  • سسل دهولو ڤنداڤتن, سسل کمودين تق برݢوناit is preferable to be cautious
  • biar lambat asalkan selamatit is preferable to be cautious
  • ingat sebelum kena, jimat sebelum habisit is preferable to be cautious
  • sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tak bergunait is preferable to be cautious
Norwegian bedre føre var enn etter snar
  • bedre føre var enn etter snarit is preferable to be cautious
Polish gdyby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała, lepiej dmuchać na zimne
  • gdyby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamałait is preferable to be cautious
  • lepiej dmuchać na zimneit is preferable to be cautious
  • strzeżonego Pan Bóg strzeżeit is preferable to be cautious
  • żeby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamałait is preferable to be cautious
Portuguese é melhor prevenir do que remediar
  • é melhor prevenir do que remediarit is preferable to be cautious
Russian бережёного бог бережёт, лу́чше перебде́ть, чем недобде́ть
  • бережёного бог бережёт (berežónovo bog berežót)it is preferable to be cautious
  • лу́чше перебде́ть, чем недобде́ть (lúčše perebdétʹ, čem nedobdétʹ)it is preferable to be cautious
  • осторо́жность никогда́ не быва́ет ли́шней (ostoróžnostʹ nikogdá ne byvájet líšnej)it is preferable to be cautious
  • сказа́л бы слове́чко, да волк недале́чко (skazál by slovéčko, da volk nedaléčko)it is preferable to be cautious
Scottish Gaelic 's fheàrr a bhith cinnteach na caillteach
  • 's fheàrr a bhith cinnteach na caillteachit is preferable to be cautious
Spanish más vale prevenir que curar, más vale prevenir que lamentarse
  • más vale prevenir que curarit is preferable to be cautious
  • más vale prevenir que lamentarseit is preferable to be cautious
Swedish ta det säkra före det osäkra, man kan aldrig vara nog försiktig
  • ta det säkra före det osäkrait is preferable to be cautious
  • man kan aldrig vara nog försiktigit is preferable to be cautious
Urdu دیر آئے درست آئے
  • دیر آئے درست آئے (der ā'ye durust ā'ye)it is preferable to be cautious
Vietnamese cẩn tắc vô ưu, cẩn tắc vô ưu, vô áy náy
  • cẩn tắc vô ưuit is preferable to be cautious
  • cẩn tắc vô ưu, vô áy náyit is preferable to be cautious
  • cẩn tắc vô áy náyit is preferable to be cautious

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with better safe than sorry

sorryquarrylorrycorriewari
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

better safe than sorry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20safe%20than%20sorry

MLA

“better safe than sorry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20safe%20than%20sorry. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “better safe than sorry,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20safe%20than%20sorry.

Source: better safe than sorry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.