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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of leery
Flush with promise: After decades of trying to court leery American consumers, high-tech Japanese toilet makers are finally seeing a shift.
—
Natasha Frost, New York Times, 30 May 2025
The Republican governor has been leery of the more visually violent execution method.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2025
In fact, Illinois lawmakers — long leery of being secretly recorded — have prohibited state and local law enforcement from wiretapping the phones of politicians suspected of corruption, as federal investigators are allowed to do.
—Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Besides the call for deeper cuts, some Republican senators are leery of the House push to phase out tax credits for big energy projects in their states.
—Carl Hulse, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Natasha Frost, New York Times, 30 May 2025
The Republican governor has been leery of the more visually violent execution method.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2025
In fact, Illinois lawmakers — long leery of being secretly recorded — have prohibited state and local law enforcement from wiretapping the phones of politicians suspected of corruption, as federal investigators are allowed to do.
—Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Besides the call for deeper cuts, some Republican senators are leery of the House push to phase out tax credits for big energy projects in their states.
—Carl Hulse, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery
Adjective
-
But for investors who are wary of the susceptibility of Argos’s sales to the unpredictable nature of the weather, the team is ramping up its efforts to expand its products to include stockless ranges.—
John Choong,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Be wary of mailbox communications: Bad actors may also try to scam you through snail mail.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
The prospect of higher inflation even as present data looks mild has led to a staredown between the Fed, which has advocated for a cautious approach on cutting interest rates in case tariffs do worsen inflation, and Trump, who has aggressively called for big cuts.—
Derek Saul,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
That’s a problem for investors, who regard Powell as a serious, cautious economist who operates independently of Trump’s political desires.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Some employees are skeptical of the AI, especially following a Bloomberg report in January that predicted up to 200,000 jobs on Wall Street could be at risk within five years due to technologies like AI.—
Chris Morris,
Fortune,
24 June 2025
-
But Israel will likely be skeptical of China’s neutrality as a mediator, analysts said, citing Beijing’s close ties with Iran and concerns about of provoking the Trump administration.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share