chariness: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, literary
Quick answer
What does “chariness” mean?
The quality of being very cautious, wary, and unwilling to take risks.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality of being very cautious, wary, and unwilling to take risks; carefulness.
A state of marked prudence, often implying suspicion or reluctance to act, engage, or trust due to potential danger, deception, or loss.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is rare and formal in both varieties, with no significant spelling or definition differences.
Connotations
Slightly more at home in British formal/literary prose. In American English, it may sound even more archaic or deliberately erudite.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both, but marginally higher occurrence in UK corpus data of formal texts.
Grammar
How to Use “chariness” in a Sentence
chariness about + NOUN/GERUNDchariness of + NOUNchariness towards + NOUN/PRONOUNchariness in + GERUNDVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chariness” in a Sentence
adverb
British English
- He proceeded charily through the legal documents.
- She answered the question charily.
American English
- They moved charily into the new market.
- The diplomat spoke charily to the press.
adjective
British English
- Her chary attitude was evident.
- He was chary of making promises.
American English
- She was chary about investing in the new venture.
- Officials are chary of the proposal's implications.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in formal reports or analysis to describe cautious investment strategies or wary negotiations. (e.g., 'The board's chariness regarding the merger delayed the final agreement.')
Academic
Found in literary criticism, history, or political science to describe characters' or historical actors' attitudes. (e.g., 'The poet's chariness of public acclaim is well documented.')
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation. Would be replaced by 'caution' or 'being wary'.
Technical
Not typically used in technical fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chariness”
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chariness”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chariness”
- Misspelling as 'charyness' (less common variant). Using it in an informal context where it sounds stilted. Confusing it with 'charisma'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a rare, formal word primarily found in literary or very formal written contexts. In most situations, 'caution' or 'wariness' is preferred.
'Chariness' implies a stronger element of suspicion, distrust, or reluctance to become involved. 'Caution' is more neutral, meaning general carefulness to avoid danger or mistakes.
The base word is the adjective 'chary' (meaning cautious or wary). 'Chariness' is the abstract noun formed from it.
It can be viewed positively as prudent and wise, but often the connotation is of excessive hesitation, suspicion, or lack of trust, which can be seen as a negative trait.
The quality of being very cautious, wary, and unwilling to take risks.
Chariness is usually formal, literary in register.
Chariness: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtʃeə.ri.nəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtʃer.i.nəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone being CHARY (cautious) – they are full of CHARIness. Link 'chary' to 'wary' and 'careful'.
Conceptual Metaphor
CAUTION IS A RESTRAINT (held back by chariness), TRUST IS A VALUABLE COMMODITY (chariness is reluctance to spend it).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'chariness' CORRECTLY?