leery
1 Americanadjective
-
wary; suspicious (usually followed byof ).
I'm leery of his financial advice.
-
Archaic. knowing; alert.
adjective
adjective
-
dialect knowing or sly
-
slang (foll by of) suspicious or wary
-
slang rowdy or boisterous
Other Word Forms
- leerily adverb
- leeriness noun
Etymology
Origin of leery1
First recorded in 1790–1800; leer 1 + -y 1
Origin of leery2
Explanation
You can use the adjective leery to describe someone who's suspicious of a person or situation. After his brother came out with bald spots and uneven patches of buzz-cut hair, he was leery of having the same barber get near his own head. Being leery is being distrustful. If you're leery, it will probably show on your face and in your posture. You may squint and wrinkle your brows or take a few steps back. If you're leery that someone won't keep a secret, you won't confide in them, and if you're leery about whether they'll keep a promise to you, you won't count on them. Sometimes people are leery because of some proof, but often, just having a bad feeling or instinct is enough to make a person leery.
Vocabulary lists containing leery
The Outsiders
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: February 12 - 16, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
One suggested I divorce my spouse because she’s still leery about taking an EV on road trips.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026
Yet with the rate of inflation still stuck close to 3%, top Fed officials are leery of cutting rates any more for now.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 22, 2026
By now, you might be feeling pretty frustrated and more than a little leery about what’s pouring out of your kitchen faucet.
From Salon • Aug. 16, 2025
The company had foundered since its October launch, investors seemingly leery of its prospects and its terms.
From BBC • Dec. 7, 2024
The architects respected him but were leery of his powers as supervising architect.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
