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
Because many tax professionals and taxpayers are unaware of the nuances of section 679, the provision often acts as a trap for the unwary.
—
Matthew L. Roberts, Forbes.com, 28 May 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
The result is that fraudsters have rushed into cryptocurrency, exploiting the complexity and hype to dupe the unwary.
—Hilary Allen, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for unwary
Matthew L. Roberts, Forbes.com, 28 May 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
The result is that fraudsters have rushed into cryptocurrency, exploiting the complexity and hype to dupe the unwary.
—Hilary Allen, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for unwary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwary
Adjective
-
The film follows hopeful, naive college freshman Devon, who asks the cool and confident Celeste to be her roommate.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, Mary, the most naive of the trio, remains blissfully unaware that anything is amiss.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The game has been played at A&M's tempo, causing the Gaels to make careless mistakes.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Democrats accuse the Justice Department of withholding too many files and making careless redactions that exposed intimate details about victims.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These are not quite as susceptible to the global supply chain shocks that have so disrupted fossil fuels in recent years, including the current chaos for oil and natural gas due to the Iran war.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
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Chronic Dehydration Women appear to be more susceptible to the cognitive and mood effects of mild dehydration than men, and losing just 2% of body weight in fluid can impair physical performance by 10-20%.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When a strange man lurks around the school asking supposedly innocent questions and the principal receives a severed human finger in the mail, the community is in an uproar.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
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His huddles at times resemble a family Sunday supper after the conversation turns to politics – everyone yelling, nobody listening, Izzo’s face reddening and a whiteboard left broken, the innocent victim of all the arguing (though they are rumored to be pre-cut to avoid splintering).—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Supply chain due diligence should also address wage violations, unsafe workplaces, restrictions on workers’ freedom of association and environmental harms.—
Anna Bryher,
Sourcing Journal,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The new detention center will ultimately replace the current county detention center in downtown Kansas City, which is more than four decades old, has fallen into partial disrepair and has long been plagued by unsafe overcrowding and allegations of abuse and mismanagement.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Access is easy as there’s no steel fencing around the flame, only a 4-foot-high wall of sandbags.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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Herbs like basil, mint, and parsley are incredibly easy to grow and add fresh flavor to your meals.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And unlike some some prank shows, its intentions are good, its attitude humane — the entire purpose of the show is to bring out the best in its unsuspecting star, not to humiliate him.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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The film centers on a celebrated Filipino chef who secretly kills supernatural creatures and serves them to his unsuspecting clientele — until those creatures return for revenge.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Theodore Cartner, 76, was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm after the Saturday evening incident.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The law must be strengthened further to ensure that, in the future, gross negligence, reckless storage of remains and even improper co-mingling of remains can be criminally charged from the onset, and carry real sentences with the potential for actual jail time.—
Vaughan Bagley,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwary. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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