beware

verb

be·​ware bi-ˈwer 

bē-

intransitive verb

: to be on one's guard

beware of the dog

transitive verb

1

: to take care of

beware your wallet

2

: to be wary of

we must … beware the exceedingly tenuous generalization

—Matthew Lipman

Synonyms

• guard (against)
• look out (for)
• mind
• ware
• watch out (for)

Examples of beware in a Sentence

A ghostly voice cried “Beware!”.

He told them to beware.

The restaurant's food is excellent, but beware the chili if you don't like spicy food.

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s not to say period tracking is a bad idea – only that athletes should beware of one-size-fits-all advice on how women perform during certain phases of the cycle. —Susan Lacke, Outside Online, 2 Feb. 2025

This is your moment for powerful change and self-acceptance, but beware — if the truth feels uncomfortable or disruptive, trust that transformation is the ultimate goal. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025

But beware that this may also filter out some legitimate messages from people who are not in your contacts list. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 14 Jan. 2025

Yes, fans of the comics shouldn't necessarily be surprised by this, but parents who may be thinking of watching this show with younger viewers should beware. —Devonne Goode, Parents, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English been war, from been "to be" + war "cognizant, ware entry 1"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

beware

verb

be·​ware bi-ˈwa(ə)r 

-ˈwe(ə)r

1

: to be on one's guard

beware of the dog

2

: to be suspicious of

beware the quick excuse