WARY Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'wary' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wary are cautious , chary , and circumspect . While all these words mean "prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk," wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it. // keeps a wary eye on the competition

Q: When would 'cautious' be a good substitute for 'wary'?

The meanings of cautious and wary largely overlap; however, cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger. // a cautious driver

Q: When might 'chary' be a better fit than 'wary'?

While in some cases nearly identical to wary , chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely. // chary of signing papers without having read them first

Q: In what contexts can 'circumspect' take the place of 'wary'?

In some situations, the words circumspect and wary are roughly equivalent. However, circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding. // circumspect in his business dealings

wary

adjective

ˈwer-ē

Definition of wary next

as in cautious

having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble kept a wary eye out for signs of the enemy

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How does the adjective wary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wary are cautious, chary, and circumspect. While all these words mean "prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk," wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it.

keeps a wary eye on the competition

When would cautious be a good substitute for wary?

The meanings of cautious and wary largely overlap; however, cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger.

a cautious driver

When might chary be a better fit than wary?

While in some cases nearly identical to wary, chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely.

chary of signing papers without having read them first

In what contexts can circumspect take the place of wary?

In some situations, the words circumspect and wary are roughly equivalent. However, circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding.

circumspect in his business dealings

Examples 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 wary Rana said to be extremely wary of websites that were only recently created. —

Audrey Nguyen, NPR, 24 Dec. 2024 Still, the flurry of arrests has made many observers wary. —

Anton L. Delgado, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024 Wall Street has been wary of the success of Microsoft’s virtual assistant Copilot as competition for AI toolsets heats up, too. —

Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024 Because generative AI was used to create the phishing message itself, the email had no misspellings, the grammar was perfectly acceptable and, coming from the director’s genuine email account, left no obvious reason why the recipient would be wary of authenticity. —

Davey Winder, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wary

Adjective

Travelers should be cautious, especially along major highways like Interstate 90 and 35, as conditions could remain hazardous.

Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Of course, outdoor activities in cold climates require precautions, including dressing appropriately, staying hydrated, being cautious on icy trails, and pacing oneself.

Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024