Chary — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈcher-ē/

Meaning & Definition of Chary

Chary (adjective)

  1. discreetly cautious
  2. hesitant and vigilant about dangers and risks
  3. slow to grant, accept, or expend

Chary (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble

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

    similar: alert, careful, cautious, circumspect, conservative, considerate, gingerly, guarded, heedful, safe, wary
    related: advertent, attentive, awake, observant, regardful, vigilant, watchful, hypercautious, foresighted, foresightful, forethoughtful, provident, thoughtful, cagey, calculating, canny, shrewd, deliberate, slow, ultracareful, ultracautious
    opposite: careless, heedless, incautious, unguarded, unmindful, unsafe, unwary
    near: bold, brash, impetuous, rash, reckless, venturesome, asleep, inattentive, regardless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, lax, neglectful, negligent, remiss, imprudent, indiscreet, injudicious, absentminded, forgetful, inadvertent, unintentional, unplanned

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Chary

The most common words with a similar meaning to Chary:

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

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Chary

Words with the opposite meaning of Chary:

careless, heedless, incautious, unguarded, unmindful, unsafe, unwary

Related Words for Chary

advertent, attentive, awake, observant, regardful, vigilant, watchful, hypercautious, foresighted, foresightful, forethoughtful, provident, thoughtful, cagey, calculating, canny, shrewd, deliberate, slow, ultracareful, ultracautious

Near Antonyms of Chary

bold, brash, impetuous, rash, reckless, venturesome, asleep, inattentive, regardless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, lax, neglectful, negligent, remiss, imprudent, indiscreet, injudicious, absentminded, forgetful, inadvertent, unintentional, unplanned

Word Forms of Chary

Inflections: charier, chariest

Derived words: charily (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Chary

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:1 care:1

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Chary

Frequently Asked Questions about Chary

What does "Chary" mean?

"Chary" means discreetly cautious. As an adjective, it is defined as: discreetly cautious.

What is another word for "Chary"?

Other words for "Chary" include alert, careful, cautious, circumspect, conservative, considerate, gingerly and guarded. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Chary" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Chary"?

There are 32 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Chary". Common alternatives include alert, careful, cautious, circumspect, conservative, considerate, gingerly, guarded, heedful and safe.

What is the opposite of "Chary"?

Antonyms of "Chary" include careless, heedless, incautious, unguarded, unmindful, unsafe and unwary. Near antonyms include bold, brash, impetuous and rash.

How do you use "Chary" in a sentence?

Examples of "Chary" in a sentence: "chary investors who weren't burned by the dot-com bust".

Is "Chary" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Chary" is an adjective.

Is "Chary" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Chary" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Chary"?

"Chary" is pronounced /ˈcher-ē/.