Meaning & use
looked at warily
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
watched or examined someone or something with caution because of possible danger or doubt
Grammar: The phrase is made of the verb 'look at' plus the adverb 'warily'. It is not used before a noun; say 'She looked at the dog warily', not 'a looked at warily dog'.
Patterns
- look at someone warily
- look at something warily
- be looked at warily
The villagers looked at the strangers warily, unsure whether to trust them.
She looked at the contract warily, suspecting there was a hidden catch.
He looked at the old bridge warily before stepping onto it.
Common combinations
- look at someone warily
- The guard looked at the visitor warily.
- eye someone warily
- She eyed the salesman warily as he approached.
- approach warily
- The cat approached the new food bowl warily.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cautiously
- Similar meaning but more general; 'warily' often suggests suspicion or fear of trickery, while 'cautiously' is simply about avoiding risk.
- suspiciously
- Stronger and more negative, suggesting you think someone is guilty or dishonest; 'warily' is milder and can just mean 'carefully'.
- guardedly
- More formal and often about speech or behavior; it does not usually describe a look.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: looked at warily or weary?
looked at warily vs weary
'Weary' means very tired; 'wary' means cautious. They sound similar but have different meanings. 'Looked at warily' means looked at with caution, not with tiredness.
Practice
The dog _____ the new visitor warily, ready to bark.
Choose one answer.
'Looked at' means directed its eyes toward, which fits with 'warily'. 'Looked after' means took care of, 'looked for' means searched, and 'looked up' means raised the eyes or searched for information; none of these fits the idea of watching cautiously.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “looked at warily”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.