chary

adjective

ˈcher-ē 

charier; chariest

1

: discreetly cautious: such as

a

: hesitant and vigilant about dangers and risks

a government chary of getting involved in foreign entanglements

b

: slow to grant, accept, or expend

a person very chary of compliments

2

archaic : dear, treasured

charily

ˈcher-ə-lē 

adverb

Did you know?

It was sorrow that bred the caution of chary. In Middle English chary meant "sorrowful," a sense that harks back to the word's Old English ancestor caru (an early form of care, and another term that originally meant "sorrow" or "grief"). In a sense switch that demonstrates that love can be both bitter and sweet, chary later came to mean "dear" or "cherished." That's how 16th-century English dramatist George Peele used it: "the chariest and the choicest queen, That ever did delight my royal eyes." Both sorrow and affection have largely faded from chary, however, and in Modern English the word is most often used as a synonym of either careful or sparing.

Synonyms

• alert
• careful
• cautious
• circumspect
• conservative
• considerate
• gingerly
• guarded
• heedful
• safe
• wary

Choose the Right Synonym for chary

cautious, circumspect, wary, chary mean prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk.

cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear of danger.

a cautious driver

circumspect suggests less fear and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding.

circumspect in his business dealings

wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger and cunning in escaping it.

keeps a wary eye on the competition

chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely.

chary of signing papers without having read them first

Examples of chary in a Sentence

chary investors who weren't burned by the dot-com bust

Recent Examples on the Web

A lot of people were mildly chary of its prospects. —The Economist, 13 Mar. 2021

He’s not as guarded or chary as he was immersed in the Boston Baseball Experience, where one wrong step or word can spark furor. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022

Knox was a bit chary on specifics, but no athlete allows that many injections without asking questions. —Richard A. Lovett, Outside Online, 1 Sep. 2021

Beautiful is a strong word, and artists, critics and scholars are chary of it. —Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2021

With a writer so chary of detail, the reader rushes to fill in. —Caleb Crain, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2021

That tone is most obvious in the author’s chary regard of his icon. —John Semley, The New Republic, 26 May 2021

Evangelical Christians, traditionally chary of getting involved in partisan politics. —Rick Perlstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Aug. 2020

The autocratic Chinese government is also chary of any display of mass mobilization, even benign ones like Pride. —Charlie Campbell / Shanghai, Time, 15 June 2018

Word History

Etymology

Middle English charri "sorrowful, dear, cherished," going back to Old English cearig "troubled, troublesome, taking care," going back to Germanic *karaga- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German karag "sorrowful"), from *karō "sorrow, worry" + *-aga-, by-form of *-iga- -y entry 1 — more at care entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Kids Definition

chary

adjective

ˈcha(ə)r-ē 

ˈche(ə)r-

charier; chariest

1

: cautious especially to protect something

chary of his reputation

2

: slow to give, accept, or spend

chary of praise

chariness noun