wary

Formswarier, wariest

Formswaries, warying, waried

1. 1
   adjective

   Alert to danger and on guard against deception or trickery; cautious in a suspicious way.

   Investors grew wary of the startup after its founder dodged questions about revenue.

   Deer are wary animals and bolt at the slightest sound.

   Similarcareful, circumspect

   Oppositetrusting, unsuspecting, unwary

   Note

   Built on the old adjective ware, "watchful", plus -y, so being wary is being on the lookout. It usually takes of before whatever is distrusted: wary of dogs, wary of strangers, wary of a deal that looks too good. Careful and circumspect are close, but wary adds a note of suspicion; it expects a trick or a threat. It compares as warier, wariest.

2. 2
   adjective

   Showing or marked by caution; guarded and careful, as if on one's guard.

   The two dogs circled each other with wary glances.

   Economists greeted the strong jobs report with wary optimism.

   Similarguarded, cautious, careful, watchful, suspicious

   Oppositeunguarded, careless, trusting

3. 3
   verbdialectaltransitive

   To curse someone or attack them with abusive words.

   The old farmer would wary any boy he caught in his orchard.

   She waried the landlord up and down the street for raising the rent.

   Similarcurse

   Note

   A different word that happens to share the spelling of the cautious adjective. It goes back to Old English wierġan, "to curse, do evil", from a Germanic word for a criminal, and it survives only in dialect. Its forms are waries, warying and waried. In standard English, curse or revile says the same thing without confusing anyone.

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