as in wary
having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble
chary investors who weren't burned by the dot-com bust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 chary
A lot of people were mildly chary of its prospects.
—
The Economist, 13 Mar. 2021
He’s not as guarded or chary as he was immersed in the Boston Baseball Experience, where one wrong step or word can spark furor.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022
Knox was a bit chary on specifics, but no athlete allows that many injections without asking questions.
—Richard A. Lovett, Outside Online, 1 Sep. 2021
Beautiful is a strong word, and artists, critics and scholars are chary of it.
—Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2021
With a writer so chary of detail, the reader rushes to fill in.
—Caleb Crain, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2021
That tone is most obvious in the author’s chary regard of his icon.
—John Semley, The New Republic, 26 May 2021
Evangelical Christians, traditionally chary of getting involved in partisan politics.
—Rick Perlstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Aug. 2020
The autocratic Chinese government is also chary of any display of mass mobilization, even benign ones like Pride.
—Charlie Campbell / Shanghai, Time, 15 June 2018
The Economist, 13 Mar. 2021
He’s not as guarded or chary as he was immersed in the Boston Baseball Experience, where one wrong step or word can spark furor.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022
Knox was a bit chary on specifics, but no athlete allows that many injections without asking questions.
—Richard A. Lovett, Outside Online, 1 Sep. 2021
Beautiful is a strong word, and artists, critics and scholars are chary of it.
—Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2021
With a writer so chary of detail, the reader rushes to fill in.
—Caleb Crain, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2021
That tone is most obvious in the author’s chary regard of his icon.
—John Semley, The New Republic, 26 May 2021
Evangelical Christians, traditionally chary of getting involved in partisan politics.
—Rick Perlstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Aug. 2020
The autocratic Chinese government is also chary of any display of mass mobilization, even benign ones like Pride.
—Charlie Campbell / Shanghai, Time, 15 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chary
Adjective
-
That might mean that a recession caused by the Trump administration's tariff policy would actually drive adoption of artificial intelligence by companies that have so far been wary of the tech.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Subject to partisan litmus tests, military leaders might be wary of offering advice that contradicts the administration’s priorities.—
Risa Brooks,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
With momentum building after the Oman meeting and market signals showing cautious optimism, the next session could determine whether diplomacy gains traction or stalls once again amid long-standing mistrust.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The tariffs are top of mind for auto dealerships, many of which are taking a cautious wait-and-see approach.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
These concerns underscore the need for careful consideration of privacy rights when deploying such technology.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Be calm, be compassionate, be creative, be careful.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chary. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share