as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body
after inhaling the insalubrious city smog for a month, I was happy to once again breathe in the fresh air of the country
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Recent Examples of insalubrious
The refuse rising in insalubrious piles, some taller than the pedestrians trying to avoid them, is a smelly, visceral symbol of popular outrage at the government’s plan.
—
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023
Many of the area's most insalubrious haunts are long gone, and in their place mostly restaurants, which come and go.
—Tom Page, CNN, 30 Jan. 2023
Exercise enjoys a health halo, justifying, for some of us, insalubrious habits.
—Gretchen Reynolds, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Jan. 2023
On the site of an important 19th-century water mill, in a somewhat insalubrious part of town, is a modest looking Mosque with a beautiful new artwork.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021
Two figures, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary who has blown hot and cold over whether children can go back to school, and Robert Jenrick, the local-government minister, who is entangled in a scandal with an insalubrious party donor, look particularly dismal.
—The Economist, 20 June 2020
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023
Many of the area's most insalubrious haunts are long gone, and in their place mostly restaurants, which come and go.
—Tom Page, CNN, 30 Jan. 2023
Exercise enjoys a health halo, justifying, for some of us, insalubrious habits.
—Gretchen Reynolds, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Jan. 2023
On the site of an important 19th-century water mill, in a somewhat insalubrious part of town, is a modest looking Mosque with a beautiful new artwork.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021
Two figures, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary who has blown hot and cold over whether children can go back to school, and Robert Jenrick, the local-government minister, who is entangled in a scandal with an insalubrious party donor, look particularly dismal.
—The Economist, 20 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insalubrious
Adjective
-
All parts of delphinium plants are poisonous to humans and pets.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
-
This was always a question of what happens to this friend group when there’s a poisonous dynamic at the center?—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
Dart frogs in captivity aren't generally toxic because they aren't fed the same diet as frogs in the wild, the researchers found.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Tens of thousands of unproductive and unplugged oil wells have been abandoned across California — many of which continue to leak potentially explosive methane or toxic benzene.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But unlike Materialists, those movies—pictures like Leo McCarey’s The Awful Truth or Preston Sturges’ The Palm Beach Story—emerged in a time when Hollywood censors were keeping a close eye on movies’ ideology, determined to protect audiences from unwholesome influences.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
13 June 2025
-
By mid-afternoon the weather turned downright unwholesome.—
Arthur Grahame,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Jennings was charged with two counts of first-degree assault, possession of a noxious matter and weapons possession and pleaded not guilty Tuesday at his arraignment.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
He is being charged with two counts of assault and possession of noxious material.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Planting too early in the season when the soil is cool might result in a sickly plant all season long or seeds that won't germinate.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Cupid and Psyche 85, in its sickly plastic way, is a profoundly uplifting record.—
Andy Cush,
Pitchfork,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Longtime friend’s insistence on giving fixes, not sympathy, has the letter writer questioning unhealthy patterns.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Morin says these conversations can strengthen a healthy relationship, or point out flaws in an unhealthy one, such as if your partner fails to take you seriously or belittles your feelings.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The company issued the recall because the shrimp may have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with cesium-137 (Cs-137).—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Employees were observed to only sanitize their gloved hands after touching insanitary surfaces and then resumed touching RTE food and various food contact surfaces.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
12 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insalubrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insalubrious. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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