wary

adjective

ˈwer-ē How to pronounce wary (audio)
Definition of warynext
as in cautious
having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble kept a wary eye out for signs of the enemy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective wary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wary are cautious, chary, and circumspect. While all these words mean "prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk," wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it.

keeps a wary eye on the competition

When would cautious be a good substitute for wary?

The meanings of cautious and wary largely overlap; however, cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger.

a cautious driver

When might chary be a better fit than wary?

While in some cases nearly identical to wary, chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely.

chary of signing papers without having read them first

In what contexts can circumspect take the place of wary?

In some situations, the words circumspect and wary are roughly equivalent. However, circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding.

circumspect in his business dealings

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 wary And be wary of offers for personalized portfolios at the click of a button, Treichel said. — Teddy Amenabar, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2026 Advertisers, who often redirect marketing dollars away from platforms where their support might become controversial, became wary of the entrepreneur’s unfettered musings on politics and culture. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Many Iranian women are openly flouting the rule – and authorities seem wary of launching a crackdown, for now. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 Currently, no applications are being accepted, and travelers should be wary of fraudulent sites. — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wary
  1. cautious
  2. careful
  3. alert
Adjective
  • Florida’s Republican gubernatorial ticket is defying historic trends for a political party traditionally known for elevating white men to leadership positions — even as the GOP remains cautious about drawing attention to the shift.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Bindi, a young female wallaby, is inquisitive and extremely curious, while Wally, a young male wallaby, is more cautious and likes to look at things from afar, Borozenets said.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • Getting to that point required careful control of stress during fabrication.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Huntsinger, playing along with Variety’s should-win/will-win Emmy prediction game, drew a careful line.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Once the plane lost radio and radar contact, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an alert notice.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • For example, officials are urging Americans traveling to Israel to reconsider their plans and to remain alert as security conditions can change quickly.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of alert

Browse Nearby Words

war (with)
wary
was
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wary. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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