variants
also leary
as in wary
feeling or showing a lack of trust in someone or something
a leery attitude She seemed a little leery about the proposal. They were leery of their neighbors.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leery
Some conservatives are leery of reforming ICE and giving Democrats leverage over the agency’s funding.
—
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
Troy was leery, noting disgustedly, and correctly, that law enforcement had decided this time to send a Black detective, Penelton, hoping that this would put him at ease enough to finally talk.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
At the same time, at around $80 per ounce currently, the metal hasn't experienced such rapid growth as to exclude beginners and other investors leery of overpaying, either.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
In a 2024 business profile in the Naperville Sun, Mowry was leery of the impact construction work downtown would have on business.
—Steve Metsch, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leery
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
Troy was leery, noting disgustedly, and correctly, that law enforcement had decided this time to send a Black detective, Penelton, hoping that this would put him at ease enough to finally talk.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
At the same time, at around $80 per ounce currently, the metal hasn't experienced such rapid growth as to exclude beginners and other investors leery of overpaying, either.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
In a 2024 business profile in the Naperville Sun, Mowry was leery of the impact construction work downtown would have on business.
—Steve Metsch, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for leery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery
Adjective
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Despite the calm, residents remained wary of the media frenzy the neighborhood had seen for several weeks, illustrated by a sign posted on a pole down the street from Guthrie’s house.—
Helen Rummel,
AZCentral.com,
22 Feb. 2026
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Many American firms, wary of corruption and instability, decided to stay away from business dealings in the region.—
Nicolas Niarchos,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The news was a bitter blow for Everton and Branthwaite, with the club’s medical team having taken a cautious approach to his rehabilitation.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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There are genuine reasons for cautious optimism.—
Gerald Bradshaw,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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By threading the needle, OpenAI found a way to placate both the Pentagon and its own employees, many of whom are skeptical of AI use in the military.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
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That’s left some industry executives skeptical that Paramount will make good on its promise to increase its output of streaming programming, while making 30 theatrical film releases a year, the most of any studio by a wide margin.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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