LEERY Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

leery

adjective

variants also leary

Definition of leery

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 At the same time, polls have shown that Americans have become increasingly leery of artificial intelligence, fearing its effects on jobs and the environment. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 Investors burned by that bust are still leery of pouring money into oil and gas a decade later, says Brandon Davis, founder of AFE Leaks, a consulting firm that tracks capital costs for oil and gas. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 6 May 2026 Scores of businesses and shops in downtown Geneva boarded up their storefronts with wooden panels as a precaution, leery of upheaval that left a trail of damage in the city during a similar summit in Evian in 2003. — Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026 One Big 12 personnel director, who already was skeptical of Sorsby elevating his game at Tech, was even more leery after the gambling scandal about how the QB would manage it all this fall. — Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for leery

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery

Adjective

But be wary of high heat forecast for Washington this weekend, as event schedules are subject to change amid sweltering temperatures.

— Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Iran may also be wary of attacks by the exiled Mujahadin-e Khalq (MeK), which Iran accuses of carrying out attacks inside Iran over several decades.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026

Definition of wary

Adjective

Consumer confidence ticked up in June after weeks of anxiety tied to the conflict, though people remain cautious as worries about jobs and prices persist.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2026
Gymshark’s growth has slowed as competition has intensified and consumers have become more cautious about spending.

— Robert Olsen, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of cautious

Adjective

When Axsome went public in 2015, Wall Street was skeptical and the company’s stock puttered along under $10 for years.

— Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Contrary to what the public has been led to believe, America’s Founding Fathers were skeptical and anxious about democracy.

— Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 1 July 2026

Definition of skeptical

Browse Nearby Words

leers (at)

leery

lees

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of leery

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on leery

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes