beware

verb

be·​ware bi-ˈwer How to pronounce beware (audio)
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 generalizationMatthew Lipman

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 Your boyfriend wasn’t afraid to approach his mom, where the parent to beware is one who must be handled like unexploded ordnance. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 Read on, but beware mild spoilers for those who didn't read the book first. Susan Young, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 For his part, Boyd's second husband has no need to beware. Guy Martin, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 All snowfall is expected to turn into a cold drizzle by the evening, but after temperatures drop overnight, beware slick roads where Friday night's rain turns into Saturday morning's ice. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 12 Jan. 2024 The famous Road to Hana is gorgeous, but beware that the hairpin turns may turn carsick-prone kids' stomachs. Genevieve Ko, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2024 But Black Friday shoppers, beware: Gift prices are climbing. Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 24 Nov. 2023 Consumers should beware of online retailers selling copycat products and should buy eye products only from reputable retailers such as licensed pharmacies. Mira Cheng, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024 But beware the Spartans at The Event Center, always a weird place to play with its sparse crowds. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beware.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of beware was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near beware

Cite this Entry

“Beware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beware. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

beware

verb
be·​ware bi-ˈwa(ə)r How to pronounce beware (audio)
-ˈwe(ə)r
1
: to be on one's guard
beware of the dog
2
: to be suspicious of
beware the quick excuse

More from Merriam-Webster on beware

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