warier; wariest
: marked by keen caution, cunning, and watchfulness especially in detecting and escaping danger
Examples of wary in a Sentence
Great critics are sometimes wary of great authors. Eliot and Pound usually sidled past Shakespeare.
—
William Logan, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 2001
Though sycamore wood was much used, pioneers were wary of the tree's fuzzy leaves, which they believed brought allergies and even consumption.
—Arthur Plotnik, The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town, 2000
Modern literary novelists … wary of neat solutions and happy endings, have tended to invest their mysteries with an aura of ambiguity and to leave them unresolved.
—David Lodge, The Art of Fiction, 1992
The store owner kept a wary eye on him.
Investors are increasingly wary about putting money into stocks.
William Logan, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 2001
Though sycamore wood was much used, pioneers were wary of the tree's fuzzy leaves, which they believed brought allergies and even consumption.
—Arthur Plotnik, The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town, 2000
Modern literary novelists … wary of neat solutions and happy endings, have tended to invest their mysteries with an aura of ambiguity and to leave them unresolved.
—David Lodge, The Art of Fiction, 1992
The store owner kept a wary eye on him.
Investors are increasingly wary about putting money into stocks.
Recent Examples on the Web
Consumers who have already grown weary of the rising cost of living, such as higher utility bills, are also wary of potential price increases from higher tariffs, Furman said.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Many international aid groups, wary of collaborating with a repressive regime known for its persecution of women and girls, have since pulled out of the country.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Communities wary of new data centers and transmission lines must understand the broader economic and technological benefits of these projects, from jobs to national competitiveness.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
But the path forward is murky, with leaders wary of internal resistance and political risks.
—Nik Popli, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wary
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Melissa Repko, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Many international aid groups, wary of collaborating with a repressive regime known for its persecution of women and girls, have since pulled out of the country.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Communities wary of new data centers and transmission lines must understand the broader economic and technological benefits of these projects, from jobs to national competitiveness.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
But the path forward is murky, with leaders wary of internal resistance and political risks.
—Nik Popli, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wary
Cite this Entry
“Wary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wary. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wary
adjective
ˈwa(ə)r-ē 
ˈwe(ə)r-
warier; wariest
: very cautious
especially
: being on guard against danger or trickery
wary of strangers
warily
adverb
ˈwar-ə-lē
ˈwer-
wariness
noun
ˈwar-ē-nəs
ˈwer-
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