1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
e-mail scams that take advantage of unwary recipients
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in susceptible
readily taken advantage of
unwary consumers who unquestioningly swallow the dubious claims of TV pitchmen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwary
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
Nothing can stop unwary parents from relying on the judgment of Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make healthcare decisions for their infants and children.
—Michael Hiltzik, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
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
Tom Cullinan, Forbes.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Nothing can stop unwary parents from relying on the judgment of Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make healthcare decisions for their infants and children.
—Michael Hiltzik, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
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
Adjective
-
Southgate’s confident assertion that the tide of history was turning against bigotry now looks utopian, or even naïve.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
-
Season 2 follows two couples on a path of mutual destruction, one older and jaded and one young and naive.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Anyone old enough to vote is old enough to remember that California hasn’t always been so careless with its elections.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
17 June 2026
-
That charming and shaggy approach is fitting for such a campy and irreverent comedy, ultimately substituting polish for an equal mixture of artistic grit and careless joy.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Another potential area of concern is that, because copper levels in the body are tightly regulated, excessive supplementation could theoretically contribute to toxicity or interfere with other minerals in susceptible individuals.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
While familiar favorites such as peaches, plums, cherries, apricots, and nectarines fall into the stone fruit category, some are more susceptible to pests and diseases than others.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Authorities say a suspect who was eight months pregnant crashed her car into a Sturbridge, Massachusetts hotel early Thursday morning and then started shooting, critically injuring an innocent bystander at the hotel before turning the gun on herself.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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The deaths of innocent Americans, and misleading the public on the rationale for their deaths, played a role in her departure.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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They are packed by smugglers into small and unsafe boats, with thousands dying during the perilous sea journey.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 June 2026
-
Remaining inside a vehicle during a tornado is unsafe.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
The same breakfast and lunch buffets are also served in the smaller bistro on Deck 8, which provides some excellent views of the surroundings—not to mention easy access to outdoor decks if wildlife is spotted during a meal.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
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Fans who chose to take shuttle buses, as tournament organizers urged fans to do, generally seemed to have an easy commute.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Named the SpiderCam, the prototype from Northwestern University replicates the manner in which the spiders' eyes allow the creatures to gauge distances before making a surprise sideways jump at some unsuspecting victim minding its own business.—
Shirl Leigh
June 19,
New Atlas,
19 June 2026
-
It’s based on the classic Alanis Morissette album of the same name, which barrelled over an unsuspecting America in 1995.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
As buttoned-up and as rule-abiding as Nicky is, Morgan is reckless.—
Carita Rizzo,
Deadline,
15 June 2026
-
That same week, a 17-year-old was charged with assault, reckless endangerment, and handgun violations after injuring his 14-year-old relative in a shooting.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwary. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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