as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body
after inhaling the insalubrious city smog for a month, I was happy to once again breathe in the fresh air of the country
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Recent Examples of insalubrious
The refuse rising in insalubrious piles, some taller than the pedestrians trying to avoid them, is a smelly, visceral symbol of popular outrage at the government’s plan.
—
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023
Many of the area's most insalubrious haunts are long gone, and in their place mostly restaurants, which come and go.
—Tom Page, CNN, 30 Jan. 2023
Exercise enjoys a health halo, justifying, for some of us, insalubrious habits.
—Gretchen Reynolds, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Jan. 2023
On the site of an important 19th-century water mill, in a somewhat insalubrious part of town, is a modest looking Mosque with a beautiful new artwork.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021
Two figures, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary who has blown hot and cold over whether children can go back to school, and Robert Jenrick, the local-government minister, who is entangled in a scandal with an insalubrious party donor, look particularly dismal.
—The Economist, 20 June 2020
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023
Many of the area's most insalubrious haunts are long gone, and in their place mostly restaurants, which come and go.
—Tom Page, CNN, 30 Jan. 2023
Exercise enjoys a health halo, justifying, for some of us, insalubrious habits.
—Gretchen Reynolds, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Jan. 2023
On the site of an important 19th-century water mill, in a somewhat insalubrious part of town, is a modest looking Mosque with a beautiful new artwork.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021
Two figures, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary who has blown hot and cold over whether children can go back to school, and Robert Jenrick, the local-government minister, who is entangled in a scandal with an insalubrious party donor, look particularly dismal.
—The Economist, 20 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insalubrious
Adjective
-
For animals with severe toxicities, dialysis can be used to treat kidney failure as well as to extract poisonous substances from the blood, preventing further damage.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
-
If the flowers of sweet almond trees are pollinated with pollen from their bitter almond cousins, the resulting nuts are likely to be poisonous.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
Some plants are entirely toxic while only the leaves, fruits or flowers of a plant cause problems.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Maybe that’s because things behind the scenes were reportedly toxic as well.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Grievous bodily harm, nonconsensual drugging, murder, yes…still, thank god there’s nothing unwholesome here, like say a man in a dress.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The public, however, knew what to expect from this unwholesome mixture of politics and celebrity and didn’t tune in.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Theroux attempts to speak with women connected to his noxious subjects, but his efforts are largely thwarted.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Idaho’s pest management programs traditionally deal with agrarian problems, like noxious weeds, or agricultural raiders like pocket gophers, marmots or voracious insects.—
Mark Dee
March 17,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
His father was sickly, and Jack had to work in a cannery in West Oakland.—
Carl Nolte,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Planting too early in the season when the soil is cool might result in a sickly plant all season long or seeds that won't germinate.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And, the study says, that trend is unhealthy.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Whereas a health care professional may push back against a desire for unhealthy or rapid weight loss and advise you what really works, an algorithm is more likely to just tell you how to do it.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The company issued the recall because the shrimp may have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with cesium-137 (Cs-137).—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Employees were observed to only sanitize their gloved hands after touching insanitary surfaces and then resumed touching RTE food and various food contact surfaces.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
12 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insalubrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insalubrious. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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