unwise

[ uhn-wahyz ]

/ ʌnˈwaɪz /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR unwise ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, un·wis·er, un·wis·est.

not wise; foolish; imprudent; lacking in good sense or judgment: an unwise choice; an unwise man.

Nearby words

unwind, unwinking, unwinnable, unwired, unwisdom, unwise, unwish, unwished, unwished-for, unwit, unwitnessed

Origin of unwise

before 900; Middle English; Old English unwīs. See un-¹, wise¹

Related forms

un·wise·ly, adverbun·wise·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for unwise

But M. Picard advised me against it and even added that it would be unwise to keep the keys.
My Grandfather's War: Recovering the Art the Nazis Stole|Anne Sinclair|October 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the demolition of capitalism is not practical, it might also be unwise.
Noam Chomsky—Infuriating and Necessary|David Masciotra|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Robert Reich has complained of Obama's "unwise, unnecessary concessions."
How Obama is Setting the Stage for Hillary in 2016|David Frum|September 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In the long term it would be unwise and pose an unacceptable risk to the Bering Sea ecosystem and the public resource.
The Big Idea: Saving the World’s Most Important Fish|Kevin M. Bailey|August 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Marin also suggests that forcing men into the delivery room when they would rather be elsewhere is unwise.
Is Prince William Trying to Miss the Royal Baby’s Birth?|Tom Sykes|July 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
To be sure, there came a time at the beginning of the term when the unwise parents were responsible for much bad work.
Miss Ashton's New Pupil|Mrs. S. S. Robbins
The wise, for all their wisdom, hardly ever can see how innocence itself may lead the unwise into the pit digged by the wicked.
Oldfield|Nancy Huston Banks
Reading when lying down or from the light of a fireplace is unwise.
Boy Scouts Handbook|Boy Scouts of America
The king by his unwise action threw power into the hands of his opponents.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 5|Various
There would have been no unwise waste of our precious soldiers.
The Brothers' War|John Calvin Reed

British Dictionary definitions for unwise

unwise

/ (ʌnˈwaɪz) /

adjective

lacking wisdom or prudence; foolish

Derived Forms

unwisely, adverbunwiseness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012