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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leery
She’s perfected her travel routine Like any typical traveler, Fatu is leery of sharing her space with strangers and leaving her immune system at the mercy of an airline cleaning crew.
—
Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
When the two talked, Doumbia was leery of just about anybody.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2025
The costs associated with owning a condo may have prospective buyers feeling leery.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
Many crypto industry leaders, as well as some members of Congress, are leery of the government holding something so risky.
—Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
When the two talked, Doumbia was leery of just about anybody.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2025
The costs associated with owning a condo may have prospective buyers feeling leery.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
Many crypto industry leaders, as well as some members of Congress, are leery of the government holding something so risky.
—Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery
Adjective
-
There is a chance the deal is not with the Mets, who could still be wary of committing to an aging slugger like Alonso.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
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Madrid’s staff are wary of Barca’s threat and think their rivals could have done even more damage in the Copa final.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
Younger teammates were cautious to approach him, mindful of his intense dedication to his process and wary of disrupting it.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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While there's no way to know who will have a reaction to the stings, Suiter says that anyone who carries an Epipen for other stinging insects should be exceptionally cautious.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
When Adam Neumann launched Flow, his residential real-estate venture, a little over three years ago, a lot of people were skeptical.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
16 May 2025
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Still, the man who brought the game to life is skeptical.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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