1 warier | Definition of warier
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wary

adjective
\ ˈwer-ē How to pronounce wary (audio) \
warier; wariest

Definition of wary

: marked by keen caution, cunning, and watchfulness especially in detecting and escaping danger
Other Words from wary Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about wary

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Other Words from wary

warily \ ˈwer-​É™-​lÄ“ How to pronounce warily (audio) \ adverb
wariness \ ˈwer-​Ä“-​nÉ™s How to pronounce wariness (audio) \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for wary

cautious, circumspect, wary, chary mean prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk. cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger. a cautious driver circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding. circumspect in his business dealings wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it. keeps a wary eye on the competition chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely. chary of signing papers without having read them first

Examples of wary in a Sentence

Great critics are sometimes wary of great authors. Eliot and Pound usually sidled past Shakespeare. — William Logan, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 2001 Though sycamore wood was much used, pioneers were wary of the tree's fuzzy leaves, which they believed brought allergies and even consumption. — Arthur Plotnik, The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town, 2000 Modern literary novelists … wary of neat solutions and happy endings, have tended to invest their mysteries with an aura of ambiguity and to leave them unresolved. — David Lodge, The Art of Fiction, 1992 The store owner kept a wary eye on him. Investors are increasingly wary about putting money into stocks.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 But that remains a tough sell in a country that's notoriously wary of borrowing. — Julia Horowitz, CNN, "Germany's central bank issues recession warning," 19 Aug. 2019 Even a sizable chunk of Republicans were suddenly wary of the free market, other polls suggested. — Fortune, "America’s CEOs Seek a New Purpose for the Corporation," 19 Aug. 2019 Investors are often wary of companies that place so much power in the hands of one executive or founder. — Washington Post, "WeWork reveals rapid growth and massive losses ahead of IPO," 14 Aug. 2019 Investors are often wary of companies that place so much power in the hands of one executive or founder. — Alexandra Olson And Cathy Bussewitz, USA TODAY, "Ahead of anticipated IPO, WeWork reveals rapid growth and massive losses," 14 Aug. 2019 Elephant skin traders selling powders or beads appear to have moved almost all their wares online, perhaps partly because Chinese authorities have cracked down and sellers have become more wary, Elephant Family says. — National Geographic, "Elephant skin sales rapidly mounting," 12 Aug. 2019 His influence certainly faded as the game went on, but Inter were clearly wary of allowing him any time on the ball. — SI.com, "Tottenham 1-1 Inter (3-4 Pens): Report, Ratings & Reaction as Spurs Fall to Defeat on Penalties," 4 Aug. 2019 The champ is appropriately wary of the prospect of an early knockout. — Greg Beacham, The Denver Post, "The best ever? Jon Jones, Amanda Nunes could make cases at UFC 239.," 5 July 2019 For several months, while bugs and weather give the dead, hanging vultures a taste of their own medicine, the live flocks are more wary. — Sarah Ladd, The Courier-Journal, "Black vultures eat animals alive and terrorize Kentucky farms. But the feds protect them," 25 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of wary

15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for wary

ware entry 1 + -y entry 1

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More Definitions for wary

wary

adjective
How to pronounce wary (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of wary

: not having or showing complete trust in someone or something that could be dangerous or cause trouble

See the full definition for wary in the English Language Learners Dictionary

wary

adjective
\ ˈwer-ē How to pronounce wary (audio) \
warier; wariest

Kids Definition of wary

: very cautious The baker's worries about ogres and bandits I thought exaggerated … However, I was wary of strangers.— Gail Carson Levine, Ella Enchanted

Other Words from wary

warily \ ˈwer-​É™-​lÄ“-​ \ adverb
wariness \ ˈwer-​Ä“-​nÉ™s \ noun

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More from Merriam-Webster on wary

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for wary

Spanish Central: Translation of wary

Nglish: Translation of wary for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of wary for Arabic Speakers

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