Word
beware
Phoneticsbe·ware, stress on the second syllable
US/bɪˈwɛɹ/
UK/bɪwˈeə/
Definition
v. to be careful or look out for something dangerous. You often see this on signs to warn you about a risk.
v. to be cautious or on one's guard against potential danger or harm. Primarily used in the imperative or as an infinitive; lacks a full range of inflected forms like a past tense.
Examples
“Beware of the dog when you enter the yard.”
“Hikers should beware of falling rocks when walking along the base of the cliffs after a heavy rain.”
“While the investment opportunity appears lucrative on the surface, seasoned traders warn that one must beware of hidden fees that can quickly erode any potential profit margins.”
Examples
simple
“Beware of the dog when you enter the yard.”
contextual
“Hikers should beware of falling rocks when walking along the base of the cliffs after a heavy rain.”
complex
“While the investment opportunity appears lucrative on the surface, seasoned traders warn that one must beware of hidden fees that can quickly erode any potential profit margins.”
Pitfall
He bewared of the danger
He was wary of the danger
Beware is a defective verb and cannot be used in the past tense; use 'was wary of' or 'avoided' instead.
Real-World Examples
“Beware straight borders on a map—they usually mean that the person drawing them knows nothing of the place in question.” “While the personal touch may work in OOOs if your team culture is informal, beware that humour doesn't always land well over email.” Etymology
From Middle English bewar, be war, be ware, forms of Middle English ben ware (“to be on one's guard, be vigilant”, literally “be ware”), equivalent to be + ware or be + aware. Compare Old English bewarian.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADVERB
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/beware