unwise

adjective

un·​wise ˌən-ˈwīz How to pronounce unwise (audio)
: lacking wisdom or good sense : foolish, imprudent
unwisely adverb

Examples of unwise in a Sentence

It would be unwise to buy a house now. made the unwise decision to invest in a brand-new company
Recent Examples on the Web Or maybe his unwise taunting after a 54-yard catch. Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 29 Jan. 2024 As the moon clashes with Neptune, taking an interaction at face value is unwise. USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024 Attempting a similar comeback against a Kansas City team that knows how to put opponents away is unwise. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024 But amid the Heat’s recent run of injuries, Richardson said expectations can be unwise. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2024 No doubt the governing body of Harvard took pity on her, seeing it as unnecessary and unwise to oust the first black female president of America’s most prestigious university. WSJ, 26 Dec. 2023 Paying $1,200 in cash would have been difficult, and putting the purchase on a credit card seemed unwise. Jordyn Holman, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 Still, American studios would be unwise to pander to Chinese audiences any time soon. Patrick Frater, Variety, 21 Dec. 2023 Interest in the latter saga fizzled amid the unwise decision to stretch out the third novel in Suzanne Collins’s trilogy with enough filler to constitute two films. Kyle Smith, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unwise.' 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

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unwise was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near unwise

Cite this Entry

“Unwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwise. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unwise

adjective
un·​wise ˌən-ˈwīz How to pronounce unwise (audio)
ˈən-
: not wise : foolish
unwisely adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unwise

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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