# beware

> English word · Verb · IPA /biˈwɛɚ/ · frequency rank #11,170

## Definitions
1. To use caution, pay attention to (used both with and without of).

## Etymology
From Middle English bewar, be war, be ware, forms of Middle English ben ware (“to be on one's guard, be vigilant”, literally “be ware”), equivalent to be + ware or be + aware. Compare Old English bewarian.

## Easily confused with
- **bear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bear-vs-beware)
- **bare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bare-vs-beware)
- **bears** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bears-vs-beware)
- **beard** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beard-vs-beware)
- **before** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/before-vs-beware)
- **became** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/became-vs-beware)
- **behave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behave-vs-beware)
- **bearer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bearer-vs-beware)

## Common misspellings (8)
`bbeware`, `beawre`, `bewaer`, `bewarre`, `bewrae`, `bewware`, `bweare`, `ebware`

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