wary

adjective
UK: /ˈweəri/
US: /ˈweri/

  1. Careful because you think something might be dangerous or cause problems.

    1. Be wary of the dog it might bite you if you get too close.
    2. Investors are wary of putting money into the stock market right now because of the instability.

  2. Showing a lack of trust; suspicious.

    1. She gave me a wary look, not sure if she could believe me.
    2. After being scammed once, he was wary of any online offers that seemed too good to be true.

Synonyms

cautious careful alert vigilant suspicious distrustful
wary verb

  1. To be careful and alert, especially of potential danger or deception.

    1. Wary of strangers, the cat hid under the bed.
    2. You should wary when sharing personal information online, as it could lead to identity theft.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "wary" in English means: Careful because you think something might be dangerous or cause problems., Showing a lack of trust; suspicious..

The phonetic transcription of "wary" is /ˈweəri/ in British English and /ˈweri/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "wary": cautious, careful, alert, vigilant, suspicious, distrustful.

Example usage of "wary": "Be wary of the dog it might bite you if you get too close.". More examples on the page.