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.
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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 Despite the kumbaya of last season, many of the moms remain leery of welcoming Demi back into the fold with open arms, and the reunion will be the first big test to see if their fragile peace actually holds. —
Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026 Rising oil prices and leery markets could spook the president into pulling back from the conflict. —Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 11 Mar. 2026 Irvi’s parents, Lulu and Martín, were leery of his decision. —Caitlin Dickerson, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026 Still, some council members are leery of adding any new revenue-raising fees after the debacle of charging for parking at Balboa Park and the outcry from homeowners over the trash fees. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leery
Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026 Rising oil prices and leery markets could spook the president into pulling back from the conflict. —Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 11 Mar. 2026 Irvi’s parents, Lulu and Martín, were leery of his decision. —Caitlin Dickerson, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026 Still, some council members are leery of adding any new revenue-raising fees after the debacle of charging for parking at Balboa Park and the outcry from homeowners over the trash fees. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery
Adjective
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To avoid alienating this fan base, teams that used dynamic pricing were wary of raising prices too high or of cutting them below the levels that season-ticket holders had already paid.— John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
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Then, Dwight said, lenders got wary of financing a project that large.— Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But that cautious optimism among exiles is tempered by concern they could be cut out.— Joshua Goodman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
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The key takeaway is that consumers are cautious, and the execution of early applications of AI in fashion is what’s holding them back right now.— Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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However, some analysts remain skeptical.— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
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But that was rejected by voters, and even though 61% of voters signaled support for the millionaire tax in 2024 in a nonbinding referendum, some lawmakers were still skeptical a binding amendment would get voters' blessing.— Ben Szalinski, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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