wary
Americanadjective
-
watchful; being on one's guard against danger.
- Synonyms:
- prudent, circumspect, guarded, vigilant, alert
-
arising from or characterized by caution.
to give someone a wary look.
adjective
-
watchful, cautious, or alert
-
characterized by caution or watchfulness
Synonym Usage
See careful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wary
Explanation
Describe yourself as wary if you don't quite trust someone or something and want to proceed with caution. Be wary of risky things like wild mushrooms and Internet deals! You can trace wary through Old English back to Old High German giwar "aware, attentive." If you keep a wary eye on something, you are attentive for signs that it is becoming dangerous. Likewise, if you give someone a wary glance, your face conveys the suspicion and caution you feel. When you are wary of driving alone at night or making promises, you fear something bad might happen if you do these things.
Vocabulary lists containing wary
100 Top "SAT" Words
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The partnership is an unusual alliance between Google’s DeepMind AI unit and A24, as Hollywood has been wary of artificial intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026
They are wary of a technology more employers are embracing; Masse said his friends “are all pretty much in the same boat as me — they are all pretty anti-AI.”
From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026
Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, who spearheaded the effort, said she understood why the city’s budget analysts were wary.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
If he is having a tough time, Key, McCullum and the rest are right to be wary about speculating on when he might return.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
Elizebeth was still wary of entanglement, but sparks began to fly between them—a “Flame which we kindled together.”
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
