Dictionary.com

wary

[ wair-ee ]
/ ˈwɛər i /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: wary / warily / wariness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, war·i·er, war·i·est.
watchful; being on one's guard against danger.
arising from or characterized by caution: to give someone a wary look.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?

Origin of wary

First recorded in 1545–55; ware2 + -y1

synonym study for wary

1. See careful.

OTHER WORDS FROM wary

war·i·ly, adverbwar·i·ness, nouno·ver·war·y, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH wary

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

How to use wary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wary

wary
/ (ˈwɛərɪ) /

adjective warier or wariest
watchful, cautious, or alert
characterized by caution or watchfulness

Derived forms of wary

warily, adverbwariness, noun

Word Origin for wary

C16: from ware ² + -y 1
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
FEEDBACK