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
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.
See Examples For:
The air pollution index for Malaysia's small eastern town of Serian, Sarawak, showed an "unhealthy" level of 190 on Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Grande moves in a similar space, but without the satire to easily delineate the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
We start talking about relationships and unhealthy withdrawal and letting things fester to the point that when the emotions come out, it feels abrupt and the other person has no idea what’s going on.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
"It had become a very unhealthy relationship, the captaincy and me. I couldn't leave it at the ground any more, it was coming home," Root said in June 2022.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
They knew I had an unhealthy obsession with movies and television shows, and they were partially to blame.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
Previous studies have shown that getting too little sleep can drive people toward unhealthier eating patterns, often higher in fat and sugar.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2025
The only sign that L.A.’s waters could be unhealthier than other coastal stretches this year was an unusually high spike of Pseudo-nitzschia in March at the Santa Monica Pier, Anderson said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2025
If a significant proportion of shoppers believe that healthy products taste bad, the putting a healthiness-grade on the package will likely lead to them choosing unhealthier options.
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2024
Mohiuddin says he’s concerned that overtampering with the pig genome could lead to unhealthier pigs and lower-performing donor kidneys.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 11, 2023
After all, it had been an unhealthier spot a year ago than it yet threatened to become again.
From Notes of a Camp-Follower on the Western Front by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung
Several factors have led to this remarkable change, which has helped turn the U.S. into one of the unhealthiest countries among the world’s advanced economies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2025
Grande added, "There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful. I know personally for me, the body you've been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body."
From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2024
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks topped the list of national parks with the unhealthiest air in the country, followed by Joshua Tree National Park.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2024
The Bronx, New York City's poorest borough, is ranked as the unhealthiest of New York's 62 counties.
From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2024
It had been described to me as possibly the remotest, loneliest, and unhealthiest spot in Her Majesty’s tropical dominions.
From At Last by Charles Kingsley
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.
