leery

adjective

variants also leary
Definition of leerynext
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 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
  1. wary
  2. cautious
  3. skeptical
Adjective
  • Smaller banks may not be able to participate in the process and even large ones may initially be wary of untested new rules.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Marlow has a long list of reasons to be wary of Flock and similar systems.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of wary
Adjective
  • Arellano contends that Becerra should project a more forceful, less cautious persona, drawing on the immigrant and working-class experience of Latino families.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Be cautious with financial ventures before taking unnecessary risks.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • The conservative-majority Supreme Court has been skeptical of environmental regulations in the past, including in a 2022 decision limiting the EPA's authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And while The Atlantic has published largely skeptical coverage of major AI companies and their products’ impact on society, Thompson’s tone, in his podcasts and LinkedIn posts, has been more optimistic.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of skeptical

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leers (at)
leery
lees
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Cite this Entry

“Leery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leery. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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