# wait vs wary

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### wait
*verb · IPA /weɪt/ · frequency rank #451*
To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness.

### wary
*adjective · IPA /ˈwɛə.ɹi/ · frequency rank #13,639*
Cautious of danger; carefully watching and guarding against deception, trickery, and dangers; suspiciously prudent

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wait-vs-wary