unhealthful

adjective

ˌən-ˈhelth-fəl How to pronounce unhealthful (audio)
Definition of unhealthfulnext
as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body the unhealthful level of smog in the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unhealthful The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things. — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026 The unhealthful effects of autocracy remain robust even when accounting for economic differences and when excluding Venezuela and its collapsing health-care system. — Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2020 From downtown Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Valley, tens of thousands were enveloped in unhealthful levels of smoke, even as some local officials told residents that the air posed no danger. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unhealthful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhealthful
  1. poisonous
  2. toxic
  3. unhealthy
  4. unwholesome
  5. noxious
  6. sickly
Adjective
  • All of this played out against an increasingly poisonous political environment.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 July 2026
  • Sago palm, oleander, foxglove, azaleas and lily of the valley are all common and all poisonous.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
Definition of poisonous
Adjective
  • Decomposing food can release hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas synonymous with landfills and garbage.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Low employee morale often grows from ongoing negative interactions and toxic workplace cultures.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of toxic
Adjective
  • Pasta salad and potato salad both consist of carbohydrates tossed with dressing and vegetables that can fit into a balanced eating plan without triggering unhealthy blood sugar spikes.
    — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 6 July 2026
  • People at risk include individuals with heart disease, asthma, older adults, children and pregnant women, although higher air quality index values can also indicate unhealthy levels of pollution for everyone, even those outside the at-risk groups.
    — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of unhealthy
Adjective
  • Their jail is strange and unwholesome.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Grievous bodily harm, nonconsensual drugging, murder, yes…still, thank god there’s nothing unwholesome here, like say a man in a dress.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Definition of unwholesome
Adjective
  • Lineage hired contractors who are measuring this noxious gas and other pollution.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • But the real pleasure is the 303 basslines that squirm in between the drums, coating the soundscapes of the tracks in grime and noxious soot.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
Definition of noxious
Adjective
  • Work took place in the spring and early summer and the pool was refilled in June, but an algae bloom returned just days later, turning the pool a sickly green color.
    — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • In the heyday of her career, her choppy hair, flat chest, sickly pallor and large darting eyes were a manic pixie dream.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Definition of sickly

Browse Nearby Words

unharmed
unhealthful
unhealthiness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unhealthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhealthful. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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