Do you get confused about weary vs wary? In this lesson, I will teach you the meaning and pronunciation of these two confusing words.
Confusing Words: Weary vs Wary
You are not alone in thinking these two words are confusing! The confusion occurs because they are similar-sounding adjectives. A second reason these words confuse us is because they are both very old words, which have roots in Old English and Proto-Germanic.
Does the difference between these words make you feel weary? Watch the video below to learn the difference!:
The meaning of wary
The word ‘wary’ (adjective) means to be suspicious or distrustful about a situation or person.
The word ‘wary’ shares the same etymological root with ‘beware’ and ‘aware’. All of these words can be used in a sense of being watchful about a situation. Associating these words together in your mind will help you to remember the meaning.
How to remember the pronunciation of wary:
Repeat-after-me the following mnemonic sentence:
“I’m wary of scary things.”
↑ Both ‘wary’ and ‘scary’ contain /eə/ vowels
The meaning of weary
The word ‘weary’ (adjective) describes a state of deep tiredness or fatigue. It can refer to physical exhaustion or emotional and mental strain. ‘Weary’ is often used in more formal or literary contexts than ‘tired’.
Common collocations and uses include:
A weary traveller.
Thinking constantly about your problems can make you feel weary.
A student studying for exams may feel a sense of weariness.
Victorian ladies sitting in their parlours were often described as weary of the troubles of the world.
Overall, ‘weary’ suggests a heavier and more enduring form of tiredness than everyday fatigue.
How to remember the pronunciation of weary:
Repeat-after-me the following mnemonic sentence:
“When you are weary, your eyes are bleary, and you may feel teary”.
↑ The words ‘weary’, ‘bleary’ and ‘teary’ are rhyming words which all contain /ɪə/ vowels.
The word ‘bleary’ (adjective) is used to describe tired, red eyes. A person who feels weary will often have bleary eyes too!
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