Synonyms

wary

American

[wair-ee] / ˈwɛər i /

adjective

warier, wariest

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.

wary British

/ ˈwɛərɪ /

adjective

watchful, cautious, or alert
characterized by caution or watchfulness

"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

Related Words

See careful.

Other Word Forms

overwary adjective
warily adverb
wariness noun

Etymology

Origin of wary

First recorded in 1545–55; ware ² + -y ¹

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.

Tanker operators remain wary of venturing into the region for fear of escalation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

If Charlottesville taught journalists to be wary of amplifying ideology, the current moment demands an understanding that, in an attention economy, amplification itself is the ideology.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

But it doesn’t, because developers and project lenders are wary.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Closer to home, many Americans are increasingly wary of higher prices at the petrol pump, which this week crossed the average of $4 a gallon for the first time in years.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

She's taller than I am but looks only a few years older, with sharp, wary eyes and her hair piled in a knot on top of her head.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023