inadvisable

adjective

in·​ad·​vis·​able ˌi-nəd-ˈvī-zə-bəl How to pronounce inadvisable (audio)
: not advisable : not wise or prudent
inadvisable haste
inadvisability noun

Example Sentences

The procedure is inadvisable because of the risks involved. It would be highly inadvisable to attempt to do this ourselves.
Recent Examples on the Web Cycling and walking remain the best ways to get around Paris, with gridlocked roads on strike days meaning even taxis are inadvisable. Xiaofei Xu, CNN, 24 Mar. 2023 Tolkien’s dragons are not pets; taking them out for joy rides would be inadvisable. Jennifer Vineyard, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2022 And while this research suggests making big decisions after a hard workout might be inadvisable, the focus was on the long-term impacts of difficult training. Leslie Nemo, Discover Magazine, 26 Sep. 2019 Slamming several hundred thousand dollars-worth of exotic racecar into a barrier would be inadvisable on many levels. Brett Berk, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2022 To receive the medication, patients have to fill out a questionnaire that scans for allergies or conditions that would make the treatment inadvisable. Kelsey Butler, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2022 People can still visit the beaches, but officials said swimming in them, or eating shellfish from those areas, is highly inadvisable, WFLA reported. Garfield Hylton, Orlando Sentinel, 29 July 2022 Putting aside the budgetary shenanigans, the Medicare plan is inadvisable on its merits. The Editors, National Review, 19 July 2022 The disgraced singer himself has the right to take the stand in his own defense, though that seems unlikely and inadvisable given that his last public statements in an interview with Gayle King led to a tempestuous, now-infamous outburst. Jason Meisner, chicagotribune.com, 17 Sep. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inadvisable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inadvisable was in 1870

Dictionary Entries Near inadvisable

Cite this Entry

“Inadvisable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inadvisable. Accessed 1 Apr. 2023.

Kids Definition

inadvisable

adjective
in·​ad·​vis·​able ˌin-əd-ˈvī-zə-bəl How to pronounce inadvisable (audio)
: not wise to do : not advisable : unwise
inadvisable haste
inadvisability noun

More from Merriam-Webster on inadvisable

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