unwise

[uhn-wahyz]

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.

Origin of unwise

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

Related formsun·wise·ly, adverbun·wise·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for unwise

Contemporary Examples

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
If the demolition of capitalism is not practical, it might also be unwise.
Noam Chomsky—Infuriating and Necessary
David Masciotra
September 28, 2014
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
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
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

Historical Examples

It is unwise to enter into war or friendship without seeing to the reserves.
Roden's Corner
Henry Seton Merriman
However, I realized that it was unwise to attempt the journey, and I must stay behind.
The Long Labrador Trail
Dillon Wallace
It would be unwise, indeed impossible for more than a few steps.
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini
Fools and unwise are they who choose not beauteous men to be their generals.
The Symposium
Xenophon
It is unwise, to say the least, to attempt to cover the social universe in one course.
College Teaching
Paul Klapper

British Dictionary definitions for unwise

unwise

adjective

lacking wisdom or prudence; foolish

Derived Formsunwisely, 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

Word Origin and History for unwise

adj.

Old English unwis, from un- (1) "not" + wise (adj.). Cf. Middle Dutch onwijs, Old High German unwis, German unweise, Old Norse uviss, Gothic unweis.

unwise

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}unwise

Examples from the Web for unwise

Contemporary Examples

But M. Picard advised me against it and even added that it would be unwise to keep the keys.

If the demolition of capitalism is not practical, it might also be unwise.

Robert Reich has complained of Obama's "unwise, unnecessary concessions."

In the long term it would be unwise and pose an unacceptable risk to the Bering Sea ecosystem and the public resource.

Marin also suggests that forcing men into the delivery room when they would rather be elsewhere is unwise.

Historical Examples

It is unwise to enter into war or friendship without seeing to the reserves.

However, I realized that it was unwise to attempt the journey, and I must stay behind.

It would be unwise, indeed impossible for more than a few steps.

Fools and unwise are they who choose not beauteous men to be their generals.

It is unwise, to say the least, to attempt to cover the social universe in one course.

unwise

Word Origin and History for unwise

adj.

Origin of unwise