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.
These unhealthy treats have contributed to modifying a diet usually made up of fruit, vegetables and seeds.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
Where the blindness becomes astonishing is that the actual military situation isn’t the one being described to us with unhealthy delight.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
At the time, he used smokers as an example of who should lose access, no doubt because smoking is a widely unpopular and indisputably unhealthy behavior.
From Salon • May 18, 2026
The Obesity Health Alliance, a co-alition of 70 charities and health organisations, wants the government to act more decisively against the promotion of unhealthy food and drinks.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
The night air brought mosquitoes and unhealthy fogs, and everybody understood that newborn Maximilian must of course be kept safe from such threats.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
