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
  • The rookies, of which the Dolphins drafted an NFL-high 13 players, could be considered a bit naive to the intricacies of an NFL season.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
  • By the early sixties, the romance of the untaught or naïve artist was really catching.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • Fabian Hurzeler’s side have been a little careless too, with no team making more errors leading to a shot than their five (including Lavia’s goal at the weekend).
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The golfer, who changed his plea in the DUI case from not guilty to no contest, had one charge amended to Local 1 reckless driving and a second charge altered to a careless driving citation as part of a plea deal, according to court records.
    — Jaclyn Hendricks, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of careless
Adjective
  • Without Micah Parsons, the Packers’ defensive front looks susceptible.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Women who went into early menopause, smoked, have low body weight or have taken (or are currently taking) a GLP-1 are more susceptible to bone loss.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • For example, everyone on the boat and probably innocent citizens in Dubrovnik can tell that Kat and Cooper are still an item.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Clancy has not been convicted and remains innocent until proven guilty.
    — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • The plaintiffs, Priscilla Sterling, Raine Becker, Shawn Miller and John Bennett, alleged that the city knowingly allowed residents to drink unsafe water.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Zumthor’s discussion of creating inner security and safety for me immediately evokes for me the specter of its opposite, the unsafe spaces, the spaces of destruction, the homes flattened in Ukraine, Yemen, Lebanon and Gaza.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsafe
Adjective
  • The Atlas promises to make the job of biologists and medical researchers considerably easier, potentially speeding up the understanding of genetic diseases and the hunt for possible cures.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
  • When the Islamic State declared its caliphate, not only did its territorial control make the group easier to target but its governing also exposed the group’s brutality.
    — Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of easy
Adjective
  • London — Images of masked men riding along London's streets on mopeds or electric bikes and snatching phones straight out of the hand of unsuspecting tourists and locals have gone viral in recent years.
    — Emmet Lyons, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Under Mitchell, Pecora showed, the nation’s largest bank had become an impeccably groomed racketeering enterprise, dressing up crooked enterprises as gilt-edged to sell their bonds and stocks to unsuspecting buyers.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsuspecting
Adjective
  • The engineer abruptly resigned after refusing to contribute to a reckless corporate competition that could ultimately lead to uncontrollable AI.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • None were remotely reckless, and none prevented a promising attack, which are the usual triggers for cautions.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 8 Sep. 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 14 Sep. 2026.

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