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Recently, I’ve been hearing more and more English speakers mixing up the adjectives “weary” and “wary.”
“Weary” is a slightly formal way of saying “tired.” The Cambridge dictionary definition is “very tired or lacking energy or enthusiasm.” So, for example, you might feel “weary” after a long day at work or you might feel weary of hearing depressing news.
“Wary” is a slightly formal way of saying “cautious” or “careful.” The Cambridge dictionary definition is “not completely trusting or certain about something or someone.” So, for example, you should be “wary” of scams.
The mistake that I often hear recently is using “weary” in place of “wary.” For example, in a YouTube video I watched today, the speaker said “You should be weary of people pretending to be me.” What she meant to say was “be wary” (be careful!) of these people.
So, be “wary” of making the same mistake, or we will all get “weary” of hearing it!
Zach McLaughlin
Mar 28, 2025
Hi Liz! It’s a good question and I’m not really sure why it happens, but certain mistakes seem to bounce around in certain groups. For example, when I listen to financial educators or “finfluencers” on YouTube and social media, I tend to hear a lot of the same language, and some of the same mistakes get repeated (that’s where this one came from). I figure that when someone is speaking off the cuff about a topic like economics, they want to sound smart and end up using some words that they may have heard other people use, even if they don’t know how to use them appropriately! Just a theory, though =)
Liz English
Mar 21, 2025
Interesting! I haven't come across that particular mix-up. Do you think it's a misunderstanding or a pronunciation issue?