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leery

1
[ leer-ee ]
/ ˈlɪər i /
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See synonyms for: leery / leeriness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, leer·i·er, leer·i·est.
wary; suspicious (usually followed by of): I'm leery of his financial advice.
Archaic. knowing; alert.
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Sometimes lear·y .

Origin of leery

1
First recorded in 1790–1800; leer1 + -y1

OTHER WORDS FROM leery

leer·i·ly, adverbleer·i·ness, noun

Other definitions for leery (2 of 2)

leery2
[ leer-ee ]
/ ˈlɪər i /

adjective, leer·i·er, leer·i·est.

Origin of leery

2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use leery in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for leery

leery

leary

/ (ˈlɪərɪ) /

adjective leerier, leeriest, learier or leariest
mainly dialect knowing or sly
slang (foll by of) suspicious or wary
slang rowdy or boisterous

Derived forms of leery

leeriness or leariness, noun

Word Origin for leery

C18: perhaps from obsolete sense (to look askance) of leer
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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