Synonyms of leery

leery

adjective

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

• wary
• cautious
• skeptical
• careful
• suspicious
• puzzled
• hesitant
• unsure
• watchful
• doubting
• paranoid
• guarded
• distrustful
• curious
• questioning
• gun-shy
• mistrustful
• incredulous
• show-me
• disbelieving
• cynical
• unbelieving
• suspecting
• unsettled
• quizzical
• negativistic
• experienced
• uncertain
• critical
• inquisitive
• unconvinced
• worldly
• nosy
• knowing
• undecided
• worldly-wise
• sophisticated
• inquiring
• undetermined
• snoopy

Dissimilar Words

• naive
• unsophisticated
• confident
• sure
• certain
• green
• positive
• simple
• ingenuous
• innocent
• unknowing
• wide-eyed
• inexperienced
• unworldly
• simpleminded
• impractical
• idealistic
• raw
• childlike
• callow
• careless
• deceived
• trusting
• unsuspecting
• uncritical
• gullible
• credulous
• heedless
• unwary
• unsuspicious
• trustful
• duped
• unquestioning
• tricked
• beguiled
• gulled

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of leery

Still, some council members are leery of adding any new revenue-raising fees after the debacle of charging for parking at Balboa Park and the outcry from homeowners over the trash fees. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026

In fact, when the Astros had won three straight games with him sidelined, Williams was a bit leery about returning. —Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026

Democrats on the Assembly Judiciary Committee spiked a proposal to cap rent increases last month amid opposition from landlord groups and lawmakers who were leery of interfering with the rental-housing market. —Calmatters, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026

But, league sources said, both were leery of the possibilities. —Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026