warier; wariest
: marked by keen caution, cunning, and watchfulness especially in detecting and escaping danger
Synonyms
Examples of wary in a Sentence
Great critics are sometimes wary of great authors. Eliot and Pound usually sidled past Shakespeare.
—
William Logan, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 2001
Though sycamore wood was much used, pioneers were wary of the tree's fuzzy leaves, which they believed brought allergies and even consumption.
—Arthur Plotnik, The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town, 2000
Modern literary novelists … wary of neat solutions and happy endings, have tended to invest their mysteries with an aura of ambiguity and to leave them unresolved.
—David Lodge, The Art of Fiction, 1992
The store owner kept a wary eye on him.
Investors are increasingly wary about putting money into stocks.
William Logan, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 2001
Though sycamore wood was much used, pioneers were wary of the tree's fuzzy leaves, which they believed brought allergies and even consumption.
—Arthur Plotnik, The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town, 2000
Modern literary novelists … wary of neat solutions and happy endings, have tended to invest their mysteries with an aura of ambiguity and to leave them unresolved.
—David Lodge, The Art of Fiction, 1992
The store owner kept a wary eye on him.
Investors are increasingly wary about putting money into stocks.
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, European officials are wary of becoming too reliant on SpaceX, and there's broad agreement on the continent that Europe should have the capability to launch its own satellites.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2025
Resale platforms may also list tickets, but buyers should be wary and avoid scams and inflated prices.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
But while the broad market index is holding up despite these rising trade tensions, investors should be wary of what this means for a key catalyst going forward: the Federal Reserve’s rate cut outlook.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
Scammers often use these tactics to pressure victims into paying before verifying the tickets.
7) Be wary of individuals showing receipts or proof of purchase: This is not a guarantee that an individual is in possession of a ticket, and it can be easily faked.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for wary 
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Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2025
Resale platforms may also list tickets, but buyers should be wary and avoid scams and inflated prices.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
But while the broad market index is holding up despite these rising trade tensions, investors should be wary of what this means for a key catalyst going forward: the Federal Reserve’s rate cut outlook.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
Scammers often use these tactics to pressure victims into paying before verifying the tickets.
7) Be wary of individuals showing receipts or proof of purchase: This is not a guarantee that an individual is in possession of a ticket, and it can be easily faked.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for wary
Articles Related to wary
Dictionary Entries Near wary
Cite this Entry
“Wary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wary. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wary
adjective
ˈwa(ə)r-ē 
ˈwe(ə)r-
warier; wariest
: very cautious
especially
: being on guard against danger or trickery
wary of strangers
warily
adverb
ˈwar-ə-lē
ˈwer-
wariness
noun
ˈwar-ē-nəs
ˈwer-
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