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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Recent Examples of leery
At the same time, Lohner was going to have a bunch of free agent suitors if he didn’t get drafted, which could well make the Broncos leery of trying to get him through waivers to the practice squad at the end of August.
—
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 8 July 2025
The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has not had a direct impact on global freight yet, but shipping companies are growing leery of traversing through the Strait of Hormuz, the channel that connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 17 June 2025
This mostly unwarranted fear can lead to persecution by locals—one reason that many experts on harpy eagles are leery of speaking about this issue.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025
Despite the need for new housing, years of traumatic wildfires have made many local officials leery of allowing construction in risky spots.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 8 July 2025
The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has not had a direct impact on global freight yet, but shipping companies are growing leery of traversing through the Strait of Hormuz, the channel that connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 17 June 2025
This mostly unwarranted fear can lead to persecution by locals—one reason that many experts on harpy eagles are leery of speaking about this issue.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025
Despite the need for new housing, years of traumatic wildfires have made many local officials leery of allowing construction in risky spots.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery
Adjective
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From the start, two things are abundantly clear: Indy is wary of the creepy old house, and his affection for Todd is unwavering.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
18 Aug. 2025
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Americans have long been wary of using the military in local law enforcement, and for good reason.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Be cautious when corresponding with unfamiliar accounts.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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To be sure, companies are opting for cautious messaging around AI and its labor implications.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Heart Age May Not Be the Perfect Metric However, some experts are more skeptical.—
Kristen Fischer,
Health,
9 Aug. 2025
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Not only are voters more skeptical of media reports and talking points, OBBBA supporters have much more time to counter misinformation than was the case with the TCJA.—
Patrick Gleason,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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