wary
Americanadjective
-
watchful; being on one's guard against danger.
- Synonyms:
- prudent, circumspect, guarded, vigilant, alert
-
arising from or characterized by caution.
to give someone a wary look.
adjective
-
watchful, cautious, or alert
-
characterized by caution or watchfulness
Related Words
See careful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wary
Explanation
Describe yourself as wary if you don't quite trust someone or something and want to proceed with caution. Be wary of risky things like wild mushrooms and Internet deals! You can trace wary through Old English back to Old High German giwar "aware, attentive." If you keep a wary eye on something, you are attentive for signs that it is becoming dangerous. Likewise, if you give someone a wary glance, your face conveys the suspicion and caution you feel. When you are wary of driving alone at night or making promises, you fear something bad might happen if you do these things.
Vocabulary lists containing wary
100 Top "SAT" Words
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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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.
The move marked a win for business-minded officials wary of Chinese competition, who were at risk of losing ground to National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross and security-focused officials pushing for more oversight.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
Traders wary of false starts in previous rounds of talks remain cautious.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
One veteran of Whitehall's corridors told me: "The contempt for the civil service, now amply reciprocated, has left the means by which politicians implement their policy frightened and wary."
From BBC • May 16, 2026
There are some good reasons to be wary of cruises.
From Slate • May 16, 2026
That evening, Pearl watched her mother with a wary eye.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
