unwary
6
6.1
- adjective
- /ʌnˈwɛri/
:
incauto
- All religions, belief systems, and organized ideals are baited with false promises to swindle the unwary.
- unwary travelers
- traps for the unwary
- unwary reader
Examples
-
Unfortunately, this is a pitfall that often catches Ferguson and his unwary co-authors in Low-Wage America.
Academic text (2005) -
A big yellow factory topped by a giant Lux box gives the unwary traveler his first intimation of the horrors ahead.
Academic text (2005) -
And talk about a trap for the unwary.
-
A spider spinning his web for the unwary fly.
-
And only the unwary or the truly brave dare to look into those secret depths.
Fiction book (1997) -
All along the way, swindlers were lying in wait for unwary travelers.
Academic text (1993) -
Most of these works are created expressly to deceive unwary buyers.
Academic text (2003) -
The bottle contained a milky liquid with which he spiked the drinks of certain unwary customers.
Fiction book (1993) -
Legal history is stained with examples of such allegiance to formalism effectively providing a trap for the unwary and disenfranchised.
Academic text (2010) -
Many scams target the unwary, tricking them into giving away their personal information.
Synonyms
65
4.2
Easily persuaded to believe things that are not true
53
4.2
Not aware that someone might harm or trick you
51
4.2
Not ready or paying attention when something happens
14
1.0
A lack of attention that causes mistakes or harm
8
5.1
Not careful about what you say or do, so you reveal more than you want
7
8.3
A person who believes what others say too easily and falls for tricks
3
4.9
Not ready or alert when something surprises you
Not paying attention makes you miss danger or problems
Not watching carefully for danger or problems
Not paying attention and not ready for danger or surprise
Not ready and not paying attention when something surprises you
Not aware of danger or risk
Not seeming likely to be dangerous or cause worry
Antonyms
How Wary
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word unwary comes from the parts un- meaning 'not' and wary meaning 'careful' or 'watchful', as you can see in beware. So an unwary person is 'not careful' and can be easily surprised or tricked.