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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of leery
To an already leery viewer, Meghan lacking the openness and vulnerability that would allow a naysayer to connect with and change their opinion of her doesn’t help.
—
Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2025
But these aren’t normal times, and a scattering of headwinds on the horizon have made Federal Reserve officials leery of easing monetary policy for fear that the inflation fight isn’t over.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 June 2025
In 2017, during his first term, Trump wanted to hold a military parade, but Pentagon officials were leery of appearing to politicize the armed forces.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Back in 2015, the Arab states of the Gulf region were leery of a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2025
But these aren’t normal times, and a scattering of headwinds on the horizon have made Federal Reserve officials leery of easing monetary policy for fear that the inflation fight isn’t over.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 June 2025
In 2017, during his first term, Trump wanted to hold a military parade, but Pentagon officials were leery of appearing to politicize the armed forces.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Back in 2015, the Arab states of the Gulf region were leery of a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for leery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery
Adjective
-
Judge, always wary of self-congratulation, downplayed his contributions.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
25 July 2025
-
Those who did speak were wary of unintended consequences, particularly on special education or immigrant students.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Be cautious using public Wi-Fi Avoid logging into accounts on public Wi-Fi or always use a VPN.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 July 2025
-
No, things aren’t all roses, but at least some cautious optimism is in order.—
Bruce Yandle,
Boston Herald,
18 July 2025
Adjective
-
Coastal elites are always skeptical about whether a fast-growth, deep tech company can be built in the Midwest.—
Kathleen Gallagher,
jsonline.com,
15 July 2025
-
In their interviews with town businessmen, the Sodality women try to convince the men that more hygienic practices will actually improve their bottom line, but the men are skeptical: why do anything new?—
Deborah Williams
July 14,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share