LEERY Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

leery

adjective

variants also leary

Definition of leery

as in wary

feeling or showing a lack of trust in someone or something a leery attitude She seemed a little leery about the proposal. They were leery of their neighbors.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of leery For example, the Republican clerk in Elbert County is also leery of election results and did a hand count of the presidential results in his county in 2020. — The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 7 July 2026 DeSantis was also leery of the task force the bill set up to study and make recommendations for further electric bicycle regulations. — Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 26 June 2026 One Big 12 personnel director, who already was skeptical of Sorsby elevating his game at Tech, was even more leery after the gambling scandal about how the QB would manage it all this fall. — Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 16 June 2026 Scores of businesses and shops in downtown Geneva boarded up their storefronts with wooden panels as a precaution, leery of upheaval that left a trail of damage in the city during a similar summit in Evian in 2003. — Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for leery

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery

Adjective

The third quarter earnings season has only just started, and it's expected to be strong, but investors are growing wary of the market.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Saxberger is wary, but Meyers’s admiration touches something, and soon the older man’s convinced to join a nightly meeting of young aesthetes.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of wary

Adjective

Others are skeptical the task force can accomplish much in such a short time period, arguing that eventually sweeping new legislation will be needed to regulate AI.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Though Netflix is profitable, analysts say the company hasn’t produced enough hits and are skeptical of its plans to grow its subscriber base.

— Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of skeptical

Browse Nearby Words

leers (at)

leery

lees

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of leery

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'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'?

Popular in Wordplay

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?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes