warily

[ wair-uh-lee ]

adverb

1. in a wary manner.

Other Words From

• over·wari·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of warily¹

First recorded in 1545–55; wary + -ly

Example Sentences

They practice in the ruins of a farm outhouse, poking rifles round empty doorways before edging warily past.

From BBC

With so much at stake, neighbourhood clubs organising pujas have to tread warily.

From BBC

In another enclosure, Mozart, a three-legged gray fox with no spleen, peered warily from a tunnel of corrugated tubing.

From Los Angeles Times

El Paso, a mostly Latino and Democratic city, has long viewed Trump warily — and his most forceful statement since the massacre did little to change that.

From Los Angeles Times

Some officials in his inner circle still regard the U.S. warily.

From New York Times

Related Words

• carefully
• cautiously