variants
also leary
as in wary
feeling or showing a lack of trust in someone or something
a leery attitude She seemed a little leery about the proposal. They were leery of their neighbors.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of leery
Is there a reason for a CFO candidate to be leery of working for a company that is looking for its next CEO?
—
Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
But Polis is leery of the idea, and, with a veto possible, the bill went unmentioned during a celebratory news conference Thursday.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 9 May 2025
The costs associated with owning a condo may have prospective buyers feeling leery.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
She’s perfected her travel routine Like any typical traveler, Fatu is leery of sharing her space with strangers and leaving her immune system at the mercy of an airline cleaning crew.
—Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
But Polis is leery of the idea, and, with a veto possible, the bill went unmentioned during a celebratory news conference Thursday.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 9 May 2025
The costs associated with owning a condo may have prospective buyers feeling leery.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
She’s perfected her travel routine Like any typical traveler, Fatu is leery of sharing her space with strangers and leaving her immune system at the mercy of an airline cleaning crew.
—Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery
Adjective
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The pattern has left Iranians wary that any sign of instability is met with brutal suppression.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2025
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Does the entertainment industry have a right to be wary of AI at this stage?—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The Chiefs, who have a history of being cautious with their rookies during summer practices, nonetheless had Simmons participate in non-team drills during rookie minicamp last month.—
Jesse Newell,
Kansas City Star,
3 June 2025
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Here are some tips to choose high-quality olive oil: Be cautious with olive oils that bear significantly lower prices.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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These regions were often skeptical of centralized power, and reformers pushed for tools like the initiative and referendum to give citizens a way to bypass political machines and corporate influence.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
30 May 2025
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It will be decided on by a conservative-majority Supreme Court that has been skeptical of considerations of race in public life.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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