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.

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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 For example, the Republican clerk in Elbert County is also leery of election results and did a hand count of the presidential results in his county in 2020. — The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 7 July 2026 DeSantis was also leery of the task force the bill set up to study and make recommendations for further electric bicycle regulations. — Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 26 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 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 See All Example Sentences for leery

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leery

Adjective

Haugen is wary of entering a 10- to 15-year lock up at high interest rates.

— Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
The president lost in court, but Democrats are still wary of mail-in voting as the midterm election approaches.

— Laura Meckler, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of wary

Adjective

Be cautious about unfamiliar apps with extensive permissions.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
And while Denton appears to be the right person to focus on cost savings and efficiencies, Wall Street remained cautious on the timing of Nike’s turnaround.

— Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of cautious

Adjective

Progressives like Melat Kiros have signaled their votes for Jeffries might be up for grabs unless their leadership embraces more left-leaning policies, but most Democrats are skeptical about major defections.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Gabriel, however, is more skeptical, arguing that infrastructure carries the incentives of the model that built it, making a brand with less influence likely to struggle to resist a parent company oriented around speed, efficiency, and growth.

— Jessica Binns, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of skeptical

Browse Nearby Words

leers (at)

leery

lees

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“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of leery

adjective

Example Sentences

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