WARY

wary

(adjective) marked by keen caution and watchful prudence; “they were wary in their movements”; “a wary glance at the black clouds”; “taught to be wary of strangers”

leery, mistrustful, suspicious, untrusting, wary

(adjective) openly distrustful and unwilling to confide

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

wary (comparative warier, superlative wariest)

Cautious of danger; carefully watching and guarding against deception, trickery, and dangers; suspiciously prudent

Synonyms: circumspect, scrupulous, careful

Characterized by caution; guarded; careful; on one's guard

thrifty, provident

Synonyms

• cautious, guarded, careful, chary

Anagrams

• Wray, awry, wray

Source: Wiktionary

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Wa"ry, a. [Compar. Warier; superl. Wariest.] Etym: [OE. war, AS. wær; akin to Icel. v, Dan. & Sw. var, Goth. wars, G. gewahr aware, OHG. wara notice, attention, Gr. Aware, Garment, Garnish, Garrison, Panorama, Ward, v. t. Ware, a., Warren.]

1. Cautious of danger; carefully watching and guarding against deception, artifices, and dangers; timorously or suspiciously prudent; circumspect; scrupulous; careful. "Bear a wary eye." Shak. We should be wary, therefore, what persecution we raise against the living labors of public men. Milton.

2. Characterized by caution; guarded; careful. It behoveth our words to be wary and few. Hooker.

Syn.

– Cautious; circumspect; watchful. See Cautious.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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