wariness

[wair-ee-nis]

noun

1. the state or quality of being wary.

Other Word Forms

• overwariness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wariness¹

First recorded in 1545–55; wary + -ness

Example Sentences

Obviously, part of that was a wariness of saying something clumsy that might get clipped on social media.

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Historical precedent from Social Security’s design shows lawmakers’ longstanding wariness of such arrangements, with Congress in 1935 mandating investment only in Treasury securities to avoid these complications.

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While many have welcomed his visits, marine experts say human interaction can cause dolphins to lose their natural wariness and become aggressive.

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And despite the aspirations attached to them, there is also a wariness about a culture where homes are built in such disposable, assembly line-like fashion.

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There is still a watchful wariness in Brussels about Britain's fraught and divisive debate about relations with the EU.

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Related Words

• alertness www.thesaurus.com
• vigilance