unwise

adjective

un·​wise ˌən-ˈwīz 

: lacking wisdom or good sense : foolish, imprudent

an unwise decision

unwisely adverb

Synonyms of unwise

• foolish
• stupid
• silly
• absurd
• insane
• mad
• crazy

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

Moreno may also need to make those calls, and saddling his successor with a long-term manager seems unwise and unlikely, even by Moreno’s standards. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Commanders should seek positional advantages without exhausting their soldiers, manipulate the enemy’s movements when possible, and recognize when circumstances make pursuit or attack unwise. — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026

Like Shylock, Kaftan is persuaded by a Gentile into making an unwise and ultimately dangerous investment. — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026

Skeptics warn that fast-tracking unconventional technology through safety reviews is an unwise risk. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unwise

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• baptize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise

Kids Definition

unwise

adjective

un·​wise ˌən-ˈwīz 

ˈən-

: not wise : foolish

unwisely adverb