UNSAFE Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

unsafe

adjective

ˌən-ˈsāf

Definition of unsafe

as in dangerous

involving potential loss or injury workers are forbidden from engaging in unsafe activities on company time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in careless

not paying or showing close attention especially for the purpose of avoiding trouble people who have a record of being unsafe drivers usually have to pay higher insurance premiums

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 unsafe Among the 919 deaths that investigators determined were caused by suffocation involving unsafe sleep factors, 74% involved soft bedding obstructing the airway. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 The lawsuit seeks a court order barring OpenAI’s AI agents from accessing third-party computer systems without permission and requiring changes to what LASST calls unsafe AI development practices. — Victor Ordonez, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026 In other words, the Read Palestine Week event would create an unsafe and unwelcoming environment for some patrons? — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 Not every uncomfortable feeling is evidence that the relationship is unsafe. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsafe

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsafe

Adjective

Meanwhile, the financial clout of the industry has grown considerably, resulting in a new, more dangerous problem.

— Kent Sepkowitz, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Attempting to de-escalate the scare, Rospotrebnadzor declared the regional sanitary situation stable after secondary testing showed no traces of dangerous pathogens linked to Shipilova’s research.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Adjective

She was involved in a bankruptcy case in 2013, arrested on suspicion of careless driving in 2021, and arrested in 2023 on suspicion of domestic violence and battery.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Digger follows greedy, careless Digger as his company inadvertently catalyzes a disaster with global repercussions—then, whoopsie, sets off another for good measure.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of careless

Adjective

Ensure heat is working so tenants don’t need space heaters, which can be particularly hazardous in buildings with older electrical systems.

— Lillian Bonsignore, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
The action comes as Livingston locals raised concerns about the film’s impact on local business — and notably the city’s sole food bank — as well as improper notification about hazardous stunts.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of hazardous

Adjective

Whether or not Hal was right to entice Zoe (upon whose shoulders the carnage ultimately falls), his decision to circumvent the Guardians’ chain of command is what ultimately leads to countless deaths and his imprisonment for reckless endangerment.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
They would be purchased with such reckless abandon that your biggest fear would be a three-day rally that took stocks up 40%.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of reckless

Adjective

While a model alone might flag a transaction as risky, the decisions may contain high levels of inaccuracy without orchestrating the signals.

— Harsh Verma, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
The acquisition was considered risky because semiconductor manufacturing is highly cyclical and requires substantial capital investment.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of risky

Adjective

The Phillies survived their perilous five-day scare and are indeed headed to the playoffs for the fifth straight season after beating the Rays 7-3 to clinch the final NL wild-card berth.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Miéville is able to flex certain muscles—perilous for most fiction writers—in ways that support the dramatic tension rather than drain it.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of perilous

Browse Nearby Words

unrushed

unsafe

unsaid

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“Unsafe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsafe. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unsafe

adjective

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