unhealthy
adjective
un·healthy
ˌən-ˈhel-thē 
unhealthier; unhealthiest
1
: not conducive to health : not healthful
an unhealthy climate
unhealthy habits
unhealthy foods
Synonyms
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
In addition to finding unhealthy levels of chemicals used by farmers to control bugs, fungi and weeds, one food — green beans — had residues of a pesticide that hasn't been allowed for use on vegetables in the U.S. for more than a decade.
—
Kate Gibson, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
According to Han, working late nights on a regular basis is simply unhealthy.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024
Most people know that obesity is linked to chronic disease and other health issues, but more and more, research is showing obesity can be unhealthy for the brain, too.
—Lauryn Higgins, Health, 16 Apr. 2024
The type of carbohydrate makes all the difference Experts said carbohydrates as a whole are often assumed to be unhealthy, in part because of the popularity of low-carb and ketogenic diets.
—Katie Mogg, NBC News, 14 Apr. 2024
Failure of recognition Fitzgerald was 60, had higher-than-optimal blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and a family history of heart disease, says Reynolds, Fitzgerald’s new cardiologist.
—Maggie Fox, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
More on your favorite food:Why do some think potatoes are unhealthy?
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
Your trauma history and your past experiences with unhealthy relationship dynamics can make this work hard, so don’t be afraid to talk to a professional or a mental health support to learn new ways of healing forward beyond toxic relationships.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 5 Apr. 2024
Children with weak executive functions fare poorly in school, and are socially and physically unhealthy.
—Marc D. Hauser, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
Kate Gibson, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2024
According to Han, working late nights on a regular basis is simply unhealthy.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024
Most people know that obesity is linked to chronic disease and other health issues, but more and more, research is showing obesity can be unhealthy for the brain, too.
—Lauryn Higgins, Health, 16 Apr. 2024
The type of carbohydrate makes all the difference Experts said carbohydrates as a whole are often assumed to be unhealthy, in part because of the popularity of low-carb and ketogenic diets.
—Katie Mogg, NBC News, 14 Apr. 2024
Failure of recognition Fitzgerald was 60, had higher-than-optimal blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and a family history of heart disease, says Reynolds, Fitzgerald’s new cardiologist.
—Maggie Fox, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
More on your favorite food:Why do some think potatoes are unhealthy?
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
Your trauma history and your past experiences with unhealthy relationship dynamics can make this work hard, so don’t be afraid to talk to a professional or a mental health support to learn new ways of healing forward beyond toxic relationships.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 5 Apr. 2024
Children with weak executive functions fare poorly in school, and are socially and physically unhealthy.
—Marc D. Hauser, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unhealthy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Unhealthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhealthy. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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