wary

WAIR-ee

meaning in plain English

Someone who is wary stays alert and careful because they think something bad might happen.

Think of a wary rabbit at the edge of a field, ears up, ready to dash at any rustle.

for example

She’s always wary around strangers.

Picture yourself stepping onto a frozen pond; if you're not wary, the ice might give way beneath you. A wary person would test the surface first, because they expect something could go wrong.