beware

verb

be·​ware bi-ˈwer 

bē-

intransitive

: to be on one's guard

beware of the dog

transitive

1

: to take care of

beware your wallet

2

: to be wary of

We must … beware the exceedingly tenuous generalization …

—Matthew Lipman

Synonyms of beware

• guard (against)
• watch out (for)
• notice
• look 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

Nevertheless, 2,070 years on, there was a reason to beware mid-March this year. —George F. Will, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2026

Just beware of adding something really wacky—like raisins—or you’ll be put on potluck probation and demoted to plate-and-napkin duty. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026

Wilmette residents beware, payment scammers are making the rounds. —Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026

Boston residents should beware fake court notices being sent out as a part of a new scam, BPD said. —Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026

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