unwary

adjective

ˌən-ˈwer-ē How to pronounce unwary (audio)
Definition of unwarynext
1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment e-mail scams that take advantage of unwary recipients

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in careless
not paying or showing close attention especially for the purpose of avoiding trouble a dangerous stretch of desert that has claimed many unwary travelers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in susceptible
readily taken advantage of unwary consumers who unquestioningly swallow the dubious claims of TV pitchmen

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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 unwary Some legal experts said the outcome could lead unwary retirement investors to receive investment advice that's not in their best interest, and cause confusion about the legal obligations that brokers, insurance agents and other financial intermediaries owe to retail investors. — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026 That can create a trap for unwary taxpayers because the law requires taxpayers to sue for a refund within two years of the IRS disallowing it. — Tom Cullinan, Forbes.com, 20 Feb. 2026 Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have given fraudsters a host of new tools to trick unwary individuals into dishonest schemes. — Ranjita Iyer, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 That’s because the agency’s duty is to stand in the way of businesses desiring to push unsafe and ineffective nostrums at unwary consumers, and also in the way of a perverse idea that personal freedom includes the freedom to be gulled by charlatans. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unwary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwary
  1. naive
  2. careless
  3. susceptible
  4. innocent
  5. unsafe
  6. easy
  7. unsuspecting
  8. reckless
Adjective
  • Rebecca and Verity, which stars Johnson, are also about a new, naïve lover entering the home of a bad man with a wife hidden in his house of horrors.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Their 16-year-old had gone from being a naive gamer to converting to an extreme vision of Islam in a matter of months – and began judging the world through that dark prism.
    — Jeff Winter, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of naive
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
  • Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The most susceptible areas will be Long Beach and the Avalon Harbor on Tuesday and Wednesday and then Malibu through Ventura County from Wednesday through Friday.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • Since then, Verity had been faking her vegetative state in order to … that part doesn’t entirely make sense, but the point is Lowen and Jeremy killed an innocent woman.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The suspects are innocent unless proven guilty by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • Red means the location is closed, a sign of unsafe operating conditions and severe destruction to the restaurant or nearby communities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The provider had been involved in a fatal mistake, the lawsuit alleges, but KCFD delayed a hearing while unsafe practices continued.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsafe
Adjective
  • Nomadic life is not easy to continue, especially for a family that is displaced.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The activities pier provides easy access to a range of watersports, from paddleboarding to jet skiing.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of easy
Adjective
  • The Upland resident owns Young’s Automotive in Covina, according to the statement, where he is accused of placing the cameras to record unsuspecting victims using the bathroom.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Michael Conforto dumped a full beer down the back of an unsuspecting Carson Kelly while across the room Shota Imanaga threw his head back, opened his arms and let out a yell as assistant hitting coach Juan Cabreja uncorked the champagne.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsuspecting
Adjective
  • This is a reckless budget that uses our children as bargaining chips.
    — Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Dodgers’ grand prize from the trade deadline was hardly a reckless choice to start Game 1 of the division series.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of reckless

Browse Nearby Words

unwarranted
unwary
unwashed
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Cite this Entry

“Unwary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwary. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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