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# wary

adjective (wary, warier, wariest)

«wary» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Careful and a little worried because something might be dangerous or tricky. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#m1)
2. Not quick to trust someone or something: «wary of strangers». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#m2)
3. Watchful, keeping an eye out for trouble. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#m3)

### In the lessons

In safety lessons, being wary is good: be wary of strangers online, of deep water, of emails that ask for passwords. In stories a wary character watches, waits and does not trust easily; a wary animal stays alert to danger. Phrases: «be wary of», «keep a wary eye on», «wary look».

### Examples

- The cat was wary of the new dog and stayed on the shelf. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#x1)
- Be wary of emails that ask for your password. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#x2)
- The deer gave us a wary look and ran into the trees. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#x3)
- Mum is wary of buying things from pop-up adverts. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#x4)
- I was a bit wary of the big slide at first. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#x5)
- The lifeguard kept a wary eye on the swimmers near the rocks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#x6)
- Pupils should be wary of websites that promise free prizes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#x7)
- "Be wary," said the king, "there are men within the stable, let us get at them somehow." [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/#x8)

### Note

Do not confuse «wary» (careful, suspicious) with «weary» (very tired) or «wear». «Wary of» something, not «wary from». Opposites: trusting, careless. Noun: wariness; adverb: warily.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «wary» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wary/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«wary» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/wary.html) on Mova free.