Meaning & use
wariness
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
A cautious attitude caused by suspicion or fear of possible danger or trouble.
Grammar: Uncountable; used with 'a' only when modified (a certain wariness), but usually without an article.
Patterns
- wariness of someone/something
- wariness toward someone/something
- with wariness
She approached the stranger with wariness, keeping her distance.
There is growing wariness among employees about the proposed changes.
His wariness of authority made him question every rule.
Common combinations
- growing wariness
- There is growing wariness about the safety of the new drug.
- wariness of strangers
- Children often show wariness of strangers.
- with wariness
- He looked at the offer with wariness.
- a certain wariness
- She spoke with a certain wariness, as if hiding something.
Synonyms and how they differ
- caution
- A more general word for carefulness; 'wariness' adds a feeling of suspicion or distrust.
- suspicion
- Stronger and more active; 'wariness' is a watchful attitude, while 'suspicion' is a belief that something is wrong.
- distrust
- Focuses on lack of trust; 'wariness' can be milder and more about being alert.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: wariness or weariness?
wariness vs weariness
Means extreme tiredness, not caution. They sound similar but have different meanings: After the long trip, she felt weariness.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The usual preposition after 'wariness' when talking about a possible problem is 'about' or 'of'. 'Wariness of his intentions' is also possible, but 'about' is more common when expressing concern. The other prepositions ('for', 'to') do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wariness”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.