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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
No wonder many women are still wary of financial dependence!
—
Sigal Samuel, Vox, 6 Apr. 2025
The Bruins would have been wary of putting Poitras, for example, into this kind of situation.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Some firms, wary of the potential fallout, have quietly distanced themselves from certain diversity programs or taken a more neutral stance in high-profile cases.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Be wary of positions that don’t require interviews or specific qualifications.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wary
Sigal Samuel, Vox, 6 Apr. 2025
The Bruins would have been wary of putting Poitras, for example, into this kind of situation.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Some firms, wary of the potential fallout, have quietly distanced themselves from certain diversity programs or taken a more neutral stance in high-profile cases.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Be wary of positions that don’t require interviews or specific qualifications.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wary
Adjective
-
Collins said Republicans also need to be cautious about slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food benefits to low-income families, another budget-cutting target identified by fiscal conservatives.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
11 Apr. 2025
-
At times, that can mean there’s reason to be optimistic or perhaps to be cautious about a hot start.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
These concerns underscore the need for careful consideration of privacy rights when deploying such technology.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Why America's business leaders engage in delicate diplomacy Corporate America's careful rhetoric — even as many big companies brace for the impact of the market volatility and the tariffs — illustrates the delicate diplomacy that business leaders are trying to engage in.—
Maria Aspan,
NPR,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In these cases, being alert to others’ moods became a survival strategy.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
The Suncoast region is seeing particularly high alert levels.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wary. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share