as in wary
having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble
chary investors who weren't burned by the dot-com bust
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Recent Examples of chary
With that, many corporate leaders are chary about overreacting to the workforce disruption concern.
—
Michael Peregrine, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
He’s not as guarded or chary as he was immersed in the Boston Baseball Experience, where one wrong step or word can spark furor.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022
Beautiful is a strong word, and artists, critics and scholars are chary of it.
—Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2021
Knox was a bit chary on specifics, but no athlete allows that many injections without asking questions.
—Richard A. Lovett, Outside Online, 1 Sep. 2021
With a writer so chary of detail, the reader rushes to fill in.
—Caleb Crain, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2021
That tone is most obvious in the author’s chary regard of his icon.
—John Semley, The New Republic, 26 May 2021
A lot of people were mildly chary of its prospects.
—The Economist, 13 Mar. 2021
Evangelical Christians, traditionally chary of getting involved in partisan politics.
—Rick Perlstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Aug. 2020
Michael Peregrine, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
He’s not as guarded or chary as he was immersed in the Boston Baseball Experience, where one wrong step or word can spark furor.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022
Beautiful is a strong word, and artists, critics and scholars are chary of it.
—Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2021
Knox was a bit chary on specifics, but no athlete allows that many injections without asking questions.
—Richard A. Lovett, Outside Online, 1 Sep. 2021
With a writer so chary of detail, the reader rushes to fill in.
—Caleb Crain, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2021
That tone is most obvious in the author’s chary regard of his icon.
—John Semley, The New Republic, 26 May 2021
A lot of people were mildly chary of its prospects.
—The Economist, 13 Mar. 2021
Evangelical Christians, traditionally chary of getting involved in partisan politics.
—Rick Perlstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Aug. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chary
Adjective
-
But some experts on gun violence are still wary of endorsing the program.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The stock market has soared in anticipation of lavish public spending, but bond markets remain wary.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
As with any sauce, be careful not to over-reduce.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Be cautious about taking on new debt that assumes your current income is guaranteed.—
Matt Shumer,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Connecticut education leaders are expressing cautious optimism as the state Department of Education tries its hand at course development.—
Theo Peck-Suzuki,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chary. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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