Leery

Pronunciation: /ˈlɪri/

Definitions of leery

adjective cautious or wary due to suspicion or distrust

Example Sentences

A1 I am leery of trying new foods.

A2 She was leery of strangers approaching her on the street.

B1 The company was leery of investing in the new technology without more information.

B2 After the recent security breach, customers were leery of sharing their personal information online.

C1 The politician was leery of making promises he couldn't keep.

C2 Despite his friendly demeanor, she remained leery of his true intentions.

Examples of leery in a Sentence

formal The investors were leery of the new company's financial stability.

informal I'm a little leery about trying that new restaurant down the street.

slang I'm feeling kinda leery about going to that party tonight.

figurative She was leery of opening up to him about her past.

Grammatical Forms of leery

• past tense: leeried
• plural: leerys
• comparative: more leery
• superlative: most leery
• present tense: leers
• future tense: will be leery
• perfect tense: have been leery
• continuous tense: is being leery
• singular: leery
• positive degree: leery
• infinitive: to be leery
• gerund: leerying
• participle: leeryed

Origin and Evolution of leery

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'leery' is believed to have originated from the Middle English word 'leer', which means empty or bare.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'leery' shifted from being empty or bare to being cautious or suspicious.