Synonyms of unsafe

unsafe

adjective

ˌən-ˈsāf 

1

as in dangerous

involving potential loss or injury

workers are forbidden from engaging in unsafe activities on company time

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dangerous
• hazardous
• risky
• perilous
• serious
• precarious
• treacherous
• unhealthy
• threatening
• menacing
• grave
• venturesome
• grievous
• random
• parlous
• jeopardizing
• uncertain
• harmful
• fatal
• destructive
• detrimental
• unpleasant
• insecure
• bad
• adverse
• haphazard
• sickening
• lethal
• ugly
• deadly
• injurious
• dicey
• chance
• ultrahazardous
• distressing
• murderous
• fell
• nasty
• pernicious
• deleterious
• malignant
• hurtful
• evil
• noxious
• wicked
• killer
• ill
• baneful
• inimical
• dire
• fateful
• mortal
• baleful
• pestilent
• deathly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• safe
• harmless
• innocuous
• innocent
• nonhazardous
• nonthreatening
• beneficial
• good
• advantageous
• unthreatening
• ultrasafe

2

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

• careless
• reckless
• regardless
• heedless
• unguarded
• mindless
• incautious
• negligent
• unwary
• rash
• inattentive
• impetuous
• thoughtless
• imprudent
• forgetful
• inconsiderate
• neglectful
• unmindful
• injudicious
• slipshod
• lax
• inadvertent
• bold
• unplanned
• indiscreet
• unintentional
• blithe
• remiss
• absentminded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• safe
• cautious
• wary
• alert
• circumspect
• guarded
• vigilant
• watchful
• heedful
• attentive
• observant
• chary
• provident
• gingerly
• shrewd
• foresighted
• calculating
• scheming
• thoughtful
• considerate
• forethoughtful
• ultracareful
• ultracautious

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unsafe

When war, natural disaster or the collapse of civil order makes return unsafe, people already here who qualify are not forced back until conditions improve. — Ray Watford, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026

Persistence is the variable that converts a rare unsafe path into a likely one. — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Other natural pesticides — like insecticidal soaps or essential oils (rosemary, thyme, peppermint) — may also cause allergic reactions in humans and are unsafe to swallow, says Runyon. — Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026

An arrest report obtained by The Athletic states that Romo performed poorly on standardized field sobriety tests after he was pulled over for unsafe passing and therefore was taken into custody on July 23. — Dan Shanoff, New York Times, 31 July 2026