wise to

phrase

informal
: not fooled by (someone or something) : aware of (something, especially something dishonest)
I'm wise to you. I know what you're doing.
When she got wise to his scheme, she left.

Examples of wise to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That includes pitching coach Matt Blake and director of catching Tanner Swanson, two impending free agents the team would be wise to retain after exercising club options on them last offseason. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026 Democrats would be wise to ignore the naysayers and take the win. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Repeatable blueprints are emerging, and athletes eyeing a second career as Hollywood moguls would be wise to focus their efforts in one of these directions. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026 In the 21st century, presidents and lawmakers would be wise to adopt the same strategy—not fearing AI, but creating a governance system that allows this technology to realize its potential as a source of hope and shared progress. — William R. Gruver, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wise to

Rhymes for wise to

See All Rhymes for wise to

Browse Nearby Words

wisent
wise to
wisewoman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wise to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wise%20to. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All