unhealthy
Americanadjective
-
not in a state of good or normal health; in an unsound, weak, or morbid condition.
- Synonyms:
- sickly
-
symptomatic of or resulting from bad health.
an unhealthy pallor.
-
not conducive to good health; unhealthful.
Night air was formerly considered unhealthy.
- Synonyms:
- deleterious, unhygienic
-
morally bad, harmful, or contaminating.
unhealthy examples for the young.
-
dangerous; risky.
Asking questions in this neighborhood can be unhealthy.
adjective
-
characterized by ill-health; sick; unwell
-
characteristic of, conducive to, or resulting from ill-health
an unhealthy complexion
an unhealthy atmosphere
-
morbid or unwholesome
-
informal dangerous; risky
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of unhealthy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the data influx can create excessive worry or an unhealthy obsession with achieving perfect scores.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
There is no single reason why colon-cancer rates have been rising in people younger than 50, but it’s likely driven by increasingly unhealthy diets that lack fiber and over-index on ultraprocessed foods.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026
PHW said it highlighted how unhealthy food environments may be driving people to a poorer diet and an increased risk of obesity.
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
The issue is not that bananas are unhealthy.
From Science Daily • May 24, 2026
“That food is unhealthy for you,” she had said to him, and he smiled, rubbing his head.
From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
