wary
pronunciation
How to pronounce wary in British English:
UK [ˈweəri]
How to pronounce wary in American English:
US [ˈweri]
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- Adjective:
- marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
- openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
Word Origin
- wary
- wary: see ware
- wary (adj.)
- late 15c., with -y (2) + ware, from Old English wær "prudent, aware, alert, wary," from Proto-Germanic *waraz (cognates: Old Norse varr "attentive," Gothic wars "cautious," Old Saxon giwar, Middle Dutch gheware, Old High German giwar, German gewahr "aware"), from PIE root *wer- (4) "to perceive, watch out for" (see ward (n.)). Related: Warily; wariness.
Synonym
Antonym
Example
- 1. South koreans cast wary eyes to the north
- 2. There they stay like wary sentinels waiting for war .
- 3. Or is he a pragmatist , wary of imposing ideas on elected national governments ?
- 4. Be wary of prepackaged foods .
- 5. Even governments wary of china 's recent moves are also looking to strengthen ties with beijing .