(it's) better (to be) safe than sorry

idiom

—used to say that it is better to be careful now so that problems do not occur later on

It's probably not necessary to check the figures again, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Examples of (it's) better (to be) safe than sorry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

This preponderance of non-urgent alarms reflects a ‘better safe than sorry’ philosophy to alarm signaling. —

Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 So, for your well-being and pocketbook, better to be safe than sorry. —

USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024 No idea if this is true, but better safe than sorry. —

Ben Goggin, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2023 The odds that any college admissions officers would even look us up seemed slim, but, the thinking went: better safe than sorry. —

Michael Stillwell, Town & Country, 3 Aug. 2023 As recent high-profile breaches have taught us, new evidence can come to light weeks or months after the initial attack and investigation, so a better safe than sorry approach harms nobody. —

Davey Winder, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023

Dictionary Entries Near (it's) better (to be) safe than sorry

it's a wash

(it's) better (to be) safe than sorry

it's getting late

See More Nearby Entries

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“(it's) better (to be) safe than sorry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/%28it%27s%29%20better%20%28to%20be%29%20safe%20than%20sorry. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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