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
Related Words
See careful.
Other Word Forms
- overwary adjective
- warily adverb
- wariness noun
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.
Uncertainty around tariffs and artificial intelligence has made some companies wary of hiring.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
They are also wary of spending as the jobs markets remains challenging.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
It’s not just that all of this promotion is missing the mark; it’s assuming that fans of the film overlooked the original movie’s messaging about being wary of what’s being sold to them, and how.
From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026
But many Fed officials have said they’re wary of cutting rates until there’s progress on bringing inflation closer to the central bank’s 2% target.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026
"Or not. Who's to say? No one's ever been in your position, so all the more reason to be wary."
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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.
