Cagey means cautious and unwilling to share information openly. Someone being cagey holds back details, answers questions vaguely, or changes the subject when pressed. A cagey person guards their thoughts and plans carefully.

If your friend asks what you're getting them for their birthday and you give a mysterious smile and say “you'll see,” you're being cagey. When a student knows the answer but hesitates, watching to see if others agree before raising their hand, that's cagey behavior too.

The word often suggests cleverness or wariness. A cagey negotiator might avoid showing enthusiasm for something they really want, knowing that seeming too eager could work against them. A cagey witness gives careful, guarded answers. Animals can be cagey too: a fox that senses danger might take an indirect route home, staying alert and unpredictable.

Being cagey isn't always negative. Sometimes caution makes sense, like when you're planning a surprise party and need to keep it secret. But if someone is too cagey, constantly evasive and suspicious, people may find them hard to trust or work with.