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:
In a surprising finding, certain diets typically considered "unhealthy" or "fattening" actually improved responses to a common form of cancer immunotherapy in mice.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
Dafydd encouraged people to seek help if its starts to become an unhealthy relationship to ensure you are "channelling your energy in the right way".
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
"As life evolves and as a society we're exposed to more things to do, more ways to be engaged, there are more opportunities for unhealthy relationships develop."
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Individuals who had experienced greater cognitive decline tended to have fewer large nerve fibers, along with an abnormal buildup of unhealthy myelin.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
Now, he couldn’t help thinking that Octavian looked like a watered-down, unhealthy version of Will Solace - like a photo that had been copied too many times.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
She said unhealthier options now dominated "our supermarkets, corner shops and fast food outlets".
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
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
The cultivation of separate sorts of virtues and separate ideals of duty in men and women has led to the whole social fabric being weaker and unhealthier than it need be.
From Reviews by Oscar Wilde
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
The Bronx has a high rate of premature deaths and ranks as the unhealthiest county in New York.
From New York Times ● Feb. 26, 2024
The new law will also prevent retailers from temporarily lowering prices and offering promotions such as two-for-one on the unhealthiest foods.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2023
"It's ironic because I was my thinnest when I was my unhealthiest," they said.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2022
On May 4th, we relieved the 6th Battalion in the right or "Route A Keep" sub-sector, undoubtedly the unhealthiest part of the whole Divisional front.
From The Sherwood Foresters in the Great War 1914 - 1919 History of the 1/8th Battalion by W. C. C. Weetman
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