ILL-ADVISED Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

ill-advised

adjective

ˌil-əd-ˈvīzd

Definition of ill-advised

as in inappropriate

showing poor judgment especially in personal relationships or social situations an ill-advised criticism of the boss at a company function

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of ill-advised Miss Manners does not consider this rude so much as ill-advised. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026 However, long-term makeup storage is ill-advised. — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 June 2026 Of all the Yellowstone spinoffs, Dutton Ranch feels like the most can’t-miss — and maybe also the most ill-advised. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 15 May 2026 Time will tell what these partners are able to do with regard to safety, but releasing it to the general public would certainly have been ill-advised and dangerous. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ill-advised

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-advised

Adjective

When the employee told Gonzalez the questions were inappropriate, Gonzalez took a drink of beer and intentionally spat it onto the worker's arm.

— Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
According to the lawsuit, this arrangement is inappropriate because immigration detention is civil, not criminal.

— Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of inappropriate

Adjective

Cambridge Analytica, which was a political consulting firm, allegedly accessed the information of 87 million Facebook users in improper fashion.

— Julia Boorstin, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
He was signed to the practice squad last week, creating a huge uproar because of past allegations of improper behavior by Tucker from 16 massage therapists in Baltimore-area spas.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of improper

Adjective

The itinerants were all a bit peculiar, capable of making imprudent choices.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
And this is Minsky’s point, that speculative excesses during euphoric, transformative periods result in imprudent financing, fragility, and instability.

— Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 4 June 2026

Definition of imprudent

Adjective

The state could also use the money for another environmental purpose if dredging is deemed inadvisable — or for further dredging study if necessary.

— Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2026
Many people, even those considerably older, posted things on social media that in hindsight were inadvisable.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of inadvisable

Adjective

Let’s finish up by circling back to the beginning, when six injudicious justices ignored an eternal political truth.

— Gerald Scorse, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
And again, many of the reforms backfired or proved injudicious, but some of them remain powerful to this day.

— David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026

Definition of injudicious

Adjective

If a man is thought-free, fancy-free, imagination-free, that which is not never for a long time appearing to be to him, unwise rulers or reformers cannot fatally interrupt him.

— René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
The village’s colonial founders were unwise to set their community on the river.

— Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of unwise

Adjective

As stupid and trad as the wife-in-the-kitchen expectation is, that’s just a surface issue.

— Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
Billionaires presumably didn't become billionaires by being stupid, and only the supremely stupid could fail to see what's coming in California.

— Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of stupid

Adjective

The driver, whose identity was not disclosed, was cited for careless driving, according to the news station.

— Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 16 Oct. 2026
Josh Hoover may have been a bit careless, but every game TCU has played this season is another painful example how badly both his old school, and coach, miss him.

— Mac Engel October 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of careless

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ill

ill-advised

ill at ease

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“Ill-advised.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-advised. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-advised

adjective

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