as in wary
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Recent Examples of gun-shy
Nintendo has been famously gun-shy of live-action adaptations — or adaptations in general — after the abysmal 1993 Super Mario Bros. film tanked.
—
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2025
But that ending has yet to be printed: in a documentary climate in which corporations are growing increasingly gun-shy, The Stringer does not yet have a distributor.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Harris dropped out of the 2020 presidential race early (followed later by her fellow female candidates, senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren), and some pundits speculated that Democratic primary voters were gun-shy of nominating another woman after Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 21 July 2024
The Price of Entry Apart from elevated risks, there are several other reasons why international firms are likely to remain gun-shy about India.
—Arvind Subramanian, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2022
Digital transformation made employers more selective and gun-shy about entry-level hiring, but generative AI will take it to a new level.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2023
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2025
But that ending has yet to be printed: in a documentary climate in which corporations are growing increasingly gun-shy, The Stringer does not yet have a distributor.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Harris dropped out of the 2020 presidential race early (followed later by her fellow female candidates, senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren), and some pundits speculated that Democratic primary voters were gun-shy of nominating another woman after Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 21 July 2024
The Price of Entry Apart from elevated risks, there are several other reasons why international firms are likely to remain gun-shy about India.
—Arvind Subramanian, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2022
Digital transformation made employers more selective and gun-shy about entry-level hiring, but generative AI will take it to a new level.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gun-shy
Adjective
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Subject to partisan litmus tests, military leaders might be wary of offering advice that contradicts the administration’s priorities.—
Risa Brooks,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Apr. 2025
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That might mean that a recession caused by the Trump administration's tariff policy would actually drive adoption of artificial intelligence by companies that have so far been wary of the tech.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The puzzle is a great gift for someone who is leery about putting together a 1,000-piece puzzle.—
Judy Holmes,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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Some Europeans are becoming leery of visiting the U.S., as reports of U.S. immigration authorities detaining them while traveling, for reasons that are not clear, swirl.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Dawn Staley, who’s undefeated in NCAA finals, is cautious in taking that fact into consideration.—
Roberta F. Rodrigues,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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Be cautious about fertilizing, as nitrogen can interfere with blooming.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But the discussion around Golden this season has been muted, strained and careful all the way to the end, Monday’s dramatic 65-63 comeback win against Houston to seize the title.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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Many target companies use different software and services—Google vs. Microsoft, on-premise vs. cloud, etc. Unraveling and consolidating these technologies is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution.—
David Van Ronk,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But many scientists were skeptical whether the technique would pay off.—
Shi En Kim,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 Apr. 2025
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However, many remain skeptical that any real clarity is coming anytime soon.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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After Aqua Illinois, the village’s water provider, switched the water source to the Kankakee River and introduced a blended phosphate that caused elevated lead levels, Jenkins-Bell said the village, with a population of about 7,000, has become distrustful.—
Samantha Moilanen,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
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The close relationship between Australia and Japan is being reinforced by both countries having long standing connections to the U.S. which has become increasingly distrustful of China.—
Tim Treadgold,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Rand and Egwene forge their own path under Moiraine's watchful eye.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
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For now, the babies are being kept out of public view in the zoo’s Reptile and Amphibian House, under the watchful eye of the animal care team.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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For various examples and further detailed indications about the nature and use of the show-me versus tell-me prompting strategy, see my coverage at the link here.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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The curveball looks right with a huge arc to its break, but in this game and on the season as a whole the slider’s gotten more whiffs, so the curve might just be a good show-me pitch or a way to get a chase on something below the zone.—
Keith Law,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gun-shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gun-shy. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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