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)
• 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

Also, beware that this week could bring some drama around your home, family or domestic life. —Kyle Thomas, People.com, 13 July 2025

The gravel climb up 4,600-foot Max Patch is challenging, but doable for most riders; beware the backside descent, which can be treacherous in places. —Robert Annis, Outside Online, 3 July 2025

Look: Cicadas swarm Kings Island visitors in viral TikTok videos Cincinnati beware — cicadas pee. —Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

Expanding regulations like the recent Take It Down Act may make platforms more accountable for fraud, but in the meantime CEOs and everyone else—beware. —Diane Brady, Fortune, 2 July 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