wary
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wary¹
- /ˈwɛə.ɹi/ UK
- /ˈwɛɚ.i/ US
- /ˈweːɹi/ Australia
- /ˈweəɹi/ New Zealand
- /ˈwiəɹi/
- /ˈweɹɪ/ Scotland
- /ˈweɹe/ Scotland
- /ˈwɜːɹɪ/
Sounds like weary (cheer–chair merger), whirry (fair–fur merger) · Rhymes with -ɛəɹi
Where it comes from
From the adjective ware + -y.
adjective warier · wariest
-
Cautious of danger; carefully watching and guarding against deception, trickery, and dangers; suspiciously prudent
He is wary of dogs.
Similar: circumspect, scrupulous, careful
- Characterized by caution; guarded; careful; on one's guard
- thrifty, provident
wary²
- /ˈwɛə.ɹi/ UK
- /ˈwɛɚ.i/ US
- /ˈweːɹi/ Australia
- /ˈweəɹi/ New Zealand
- /ˈwiəɹi/
- /ˈweɹɪ/ Scotland
- /ˈweɹe/ Scotland
- /ˈwɜːɹɪ/
Sounds like weary (cheer–chair merger), whirry (fair–fur merger) · Rhymes with -ɛəɹi
Where it comes from
From Middle English warien, from Old English wierġan (“to curse, do evil”), from Proto-West Germanic *wargijan, from Proto-Germanic *wargijaną (“to condemn, curse”), from Proto-Germanic *wargaz (“criminal”). Doublet of warry.
verb waries · warying · waried
- To curse, revile.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: leery, suspicious, distrustful, mistrustful, untrusting, shy, on guard, careful, cautious, precautionary, circumspect, aware, vigilant, watchful, alert, attentive
Translations
Every language
adj cautious of danger; timorously or suspiciously prudent; circumspect; scrupulous
| Español | cauteloso, precavido, desconfiado, receloso, sospechoso, sospechante |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 用心深い yōjin-bukai |
| 中文 | 小心翼翼 xiǎoxīn yìyì, 謹慎 /谨慎 jǐnshèn |
| हिन्दी | सावधान sāvdhān, सतर्क satark |
| Português | cauteloso, cuidadoso, de pé atrás |
| Français | méfiant |
| Deutsch | achtsam, umsichtig, vorsichtig, wachsam |
| Italiano | diffidente, accorto, circospetto |
| Ελληνικά | επιφυλακτικός epifylaktikós |
| Русский | насторо́женный nastoróžennyj, осторо́жный ostoróžnyj, подозри́тельный podozrítelʹnyj |
| العربية | حَذِر ḥaḏir, مُحْتَرِس muḥtaris |
| עברית | נזהר niz'hár, זהיר zahír |
adj characterized by caution; guarded; careful
| Español | cauteloso |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | सावधान sāvdhān, सतर्क satark |
| Português | cauteloso, cuidadoso |
| Deutsch | vorsichtig |
| Italiano | cauto, vigile, accorto, circospetto, guardingo, cauteloso |
| Русский | осторо́жный ostoróžnyj |
Talk about this word "wary." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/wary. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. wary. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/wary "wary." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/wary.Cite this
@misc{wary_2026,
title = {wary},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/wary},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
