beware

verb

be·​ware bi-ˈwer 

bē-

intransitive verb

: to be on one's guard

beware of the dog

transitive verb

1

: to take care of

beware your wallet

2

: to be wary of

we must … beware the exceedingly tenuous generalization

—Matthew Lipman

Synonyms

• guard (against)
• look out (for)
• mind
• ware
• watch out (for)

Examples of beware in a Sentence

A ghostly voice cried “Beware!”.

He told them to beware.

The restaurant's food is excellent, but beware the chili if you don't like spicy food.

Recent Examples on the Web

But beware: Great communities foster debate, dissent and intellectual diversity. —Nate Williams, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

Blood and Guts Squeamish viewers, beware: There’s no shortage of gore here. —Kellina Moore, New York Times, 17 May 2025

However, those with nut allergies beware — these fries are not for you. —Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2025

But consumers should beware that claiming to manufacture for big brands while actually producing knock-offs is a common scam, and some scammers could be exploiting consumer panic about potential price hikes. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 15 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English been war, from been "to be" + war "cognizant, ware entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for beware

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare
• cookware

Kids Definition

beware

verb

be·​ware bi-ˈwa(ə)r 

-ˈwe(ə)r

1

: to be on one's guard

beware of the dog

2

: to be suspicious of

beware the quick excuse