1
as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body
health inspectors shut down several food stands that were using tainted and unwholesome meat
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2
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
despite having been raised in such unwholesome environments as a brothel and a traveling circus, singer Edith Piaf rose to international stardom
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Recent Examples of unwholesome
Grievous bodily harm, nonconsensual drugging, murder, yes…still, thank god there’s nothing unwholesome here, like say a man in a dress.
—
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
The public, however, knew what to expect from this unwholesome mixture of politics and celebrity and didn’t tune in.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
But unlike Materialists, those movies—pictures like Leo McCarey’s The Awful Truth or Preston Sturges’ The Palm Beach Story—emerged in a time when Hollywood censors were keeping a close eye on movies’ ideology, determined to protect audiences from unwholesome influences.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 13 June 2025
By mid-afternoon the weather turned downright unwholesome.
—Arthur Grahame, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2025
Like its unwholesome protagonist, the film — and the roving camera of Vladislav Opelyants, shooting in gorgeously high-contrast black-and-white — is forever on the move, creating an immersive aesthetic experience that amounts to a big pile of nothing.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
As for the place, its veneer of comfortable tourism doesn’t hide the air of something unwholesome, especially when female guests start randomly throwing up.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024
In celebration of her return, everyone from comedian Melissa McCarthy, who’s playing the conniving nemesis of King Triton, to film historians, are taking the opportunity to pay tribute to the legendary drag queen who inspired Ursula’s unwholesome ways: Divine.
—Elaina Patton, NBC News, 26 May 2023
This syndrome originally surfaced in 1926, when residents of Haverhill, Massachusetts drank unwholesome milk and suffered soaring temps, aching joints, and skin lesions ranging from flat, red spots to papules, pustules, and blisters—the same telltale features earlier linked to bites.
—Claire Panosian Dunavan, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2018
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
The public, however, knew what to expect from this unwholesome mixture of politics and celebrity and didn’t tune in.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
But unlike Materialists, those movies—pictures like Leo McCarey’s The Awful Truth or Preston Sturges’ The Palm Beach Story—emerged in a time when Hollywood censors were keeping a close eye on movies’ ideology, determined to protect audiences from unwholesome influences.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 13 June 2025
By mid-afternoon the weather turned downright unwholesome.
—Arthur Grahame, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2025
Like its unwholesome protagonist, the film — and the roving camera of Vladislav Opelyants, shooting in gorgeously high-contrast black-and-white — is forever on the move, creating an immersive aesthetic experience that amounts to a big pile of nothing.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
As for the place, its veneer of comfortable tourism doesn’t hide the air of something unwholesome, especially when female guests start randomly throwing up.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024
In celebration of her return, everyone from comedian Melissa McCarthy, who’s playing the conniving nemesis of King Triton, to film historians, are taking the opportunity to pay tribute to the legendary drag queen who inspired Ursula’s unwholesome ways: Divine.
—Elaina Patton, NBC News, 26 May 2023
This syndrome originally surfaced in 1926, when residents of Haverhill, Massachusetts drank unwholesome milk and suffered soaring temps, aching joints, and skin lesions ranging from flat, red spots to papules, pustules, and blisters—the same telltale features earlier linked to bites.
—Claire Panosian Dunavan, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwholesome
Adjective
-
For animals with severe toxicities, dialysis can be used to treat kidney failure as well as to extract poisonous substances from the blood, preventing further damage.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
-
If the flowers of sweet almond trees are pollinated with pollen from their bitter almond cousins, the resulting nuts are likely to be poisonous.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And right now, these corrupt billionaires, these greedy corporations, are determining all avenues of our life, all types of policies.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Just as all British became painted as corrupt as part of their national character, so too did all Native people become seen as savage by their biological nature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
About 200 had been recorded by experts over the following centuries, but the remaining messages were too degraded to read — until RTI brought them into focus.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Looking ahead, the Few & Far team is working to restore more than 200,000 acres of land in the area, replant degraded forests, and safeguard endangered wildlife.—
Lale Arikoglu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some plants are entirely toxic while only the leaves, fruits or flowers of a plant cause problems.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Maybe that’s because things behind the scenes were reportedly toxic as well.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In California courts, sick and dying workers are suing quartz slab makers and countertop vendors — including several Bay Area shops, along with Home Depot, Lowe’s and Costco.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The union representing the city’s subway workers has filed suit against the MTA, arguing that transit agency honchos failed to get proper public comment before deciding not to back-fill sick subway station agents.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And, the study says, that trend is unhealthy.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Whereas a health care professional may push back against a desire for unhealthy or rapid weight loss and advise you what really works, an algorithm is more likely to just tell you how to do it.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
First, a bunch of noxious social-media posts surfaced in which Platner had committed all manner of racist, sexist, and equal-opportunity offenses.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Legislation to create a rapid response program to eradicate the noxious invasive weed hydrilla, which has jumped from the Connecticut River to the state’s biggest lakes, received a positive reception at a public hearing at the legislature.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwholesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwholesome. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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