unhealthy

adjective

un·​healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
unhealthier; unhealthiest
1
: not conducive to health : not healthful
an unhealthy climate
unhealthy habits
unhealthy foods
2
: not in good health : sickly, diseased
unhealthy animals
3
a
: risky, unsound
an unhealthy economy
b
: of a harmful nature : bad, injurious
unhealthy levels of lead
c
: morally contaminated : corrupt, unwholesome
an unhealthy imagination
unhealthily adverb
unhealthiness noun

Examples of unhealthy in a Sentence

Her skin looks blotchy and unhealthy. Tests revealed an unhealthy level of lead in the water. Eating honey can be unhealthy for babies. He was stuck in an unhealthy relationship. She has an unhealthy interest in natural disasters.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Moderate air quality in general is expected though areas immediately north and west of the fire could see up to unhealthy air quality. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Autonomy allows people to leave unhealthy relationships and pursue self-actualization. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 People with these unhealthy behaviors were already more likely to be diagnosed with osteoporosis. Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025 This allows an easy distinction between healthy complex carbs versus unhealthy simple carbs because simple carbs typically are devoid of fiber. Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unhealthy

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unhealthy was in 1595

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unhealthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhealthy. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

unhealthy

adjective
un·​healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
1
: not conducive to good health : not healthful
an unhealthy climate
2
: not in good health : sickly, diseased
3
a
: risky, unsound
an unhealthy economy
b
unhealthily adverb
unhealthiness noun

Medical Definition

unhealthy

adjective
un·​healthy -ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
unhealthier; unhealthiest
1
: not conducive to health
an unhealthy climate
2
: not in good health : sickly
unhealthiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unhealthy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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