TOEIC Link Part 5: wary versus weary

Wary and weary differ by a single letter, so the eye slides over them, but they describe two different states. Wary is an adjective meaning cautious, watchful, on guard. Weary is an adjective meaning tired, worn out, drained. Part 5 drops one into a sentence where either could look plausible, so it checks whether you mean careful or exhausted. For the wider set of look-alike traps, start with the commonly confused word pairs master index.

The core rule: cautious versus tired

• wary = cautious and watchful, alert to possible danger. Investors remain wary of the new venture until the figures are audited. / She is wary of signing contracts she has not read closely. It answers how did they approach the risk? — carefully. Link wary to cautious and guarded: it is about protecting yourself from a threat.
• weary = tired, worn out from effort or strain. After the third round of negotiations, the team grew weary. / Travelers were weary by the time the delayed flight landed. It answers how did they feel after the effort? — exhausted. Link weary to tired and drained: it is about running low on energy.

The meaning does the memory work: wary is about caution (you watch out for something); weary is about fatigue (you have used up your energy). One guards; the other droops.

Why Part 5 likes this pair

Both are adjectives, so word class will not separate them — only meaning will. If the blank is about being cautious toward a risk, you need wary. If the blank is about being tired, you need weary.

Regulators stayed __ of the merger until every disclosure was reviewed.

Being cautious toward a risk needs wary.

By the end of the long audit, the accountants were visibly __.

Being tired after effort needs weary.

Spotting the clue

Decide whether the sentence is about caution or tiredness:

• Is the subject on guard against a risk or a person? → choose wary (wary of scams).
• Is the subject tired out after effort? → choose weary (weary after the shift).

A quick test: can you replace the word with "cautious"? Then it is wary. Can you replace it with "exhausted"? Then it is weary. Notice too that wary is often followed by of (wary of something), while weary is often followed by after or from. When the sentence signals a threat, lean wary; when it signals fatigue, lean weary. For more sound-alike traps that hide in Part 5, see the adjective and adverb confusable pairs study guide.