wariness
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
- overwariness noun
Etymology
Origin of wariness
Explanation
Wariness is the characteristic of being very cautious or careful. It's smart to have certain amount of wariness when you approach a dog you don't know. Your wariness might cause you not to trust people when you first meet them — reserving judgment or waiting to see if they turn out to be reliable can both be evidence of wariness. Sometimes wariness is entirely appropriate, like when you move through a haunted house or handle a snake. The noun wariness comes from the adjective wary, or "cautious or careful," with its Old English root, wær, "prudent, aware, or alert."
Vocabulary lists containing wariness
"Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature
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Every Day
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More Than a Dream
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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.
On the whole, there appears to be a healthy mix of market confidence and wariness.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
But at a time of growing wariness over private-market valuations, investors have good reason to scrutinize deals, particularly when the buyers are already deeply committed to the same assets.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
However, associates have said his wariness over the direction of CBS News under Weiss made his decision easier.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026
Dimon’s wariness contrasts with his own bank’s strategist.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026
She didn’t know what they were saying, but she saw the wariness in their posture, the mistrust in their eyes, and it set her on edge.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
