# wary

/ˈwɛɹi/ (US) · /wˈeəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wary
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. cautious and suspicious

adjective · CEFR B2

careful because you think something might be dangerous or not true.

For teachers: feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems; often implies a lack of trust.

- You should be wary of emails that ask for your password.
- Investors remained wary of the tech sector following the sudden collapse of several high-profile startups earlier in the quarter.

Usage: Commonly used with the preposition 'of' before a noun or gerund.

### 2. thrifty

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic

careful with money or resources.

For teachers: demonstrating careful management of resources; provident or frugal.

- The old man was wary with his small savings, never spending on luxuries.
- In those lean years, the villagers were wary of every grain of wheat, ensuring nothing went to waste during the long winter.

Teaching tip: This sense is rarely encountered in modern speech; learners will almost always use 'wary' to mean 'cautious'.

## Examples

- You should be wary of emails from people you do not know.
- The cat was wary of the new puppy and watched it closely from the top of the sofa.
- Investors remained wary of the volatile market, choosing to keep their capital in gold rather than risk it on fluctuating tech stocks during the economic downturn.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.