1
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
made the unwise decision to invest in a brand-new company
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inappropriate
showing poor judgment especially in personal relationships or social situations
an unwise urge to confide in total strangers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stupid
not having or showing a deep understanding of something
a stunningly unwise observer of the political scene
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwise
New vaccines, however, are usually compared with older vaccines because it’s considered unethical, not to mention unwise, to put children at risk of contracting a vaccine-preventable disease.
—
Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
The new tariffs would be limited to 150 days unless Congress extended them, which would be unwise — especially so close to an election.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
Against this background, European diplomats, as well as some US lawmakers, warned Zelensky that a trip to Washington was unwise.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
That’s a risk that seems deeply unwise.
—Julian Baron, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
The new tariffs would be limited to 150 days unless Congress extended them, which would be unwise — especially so close to an election.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
Against this background, European diplomats, as well as some US lawmakers, warned Zelensky that a trip to Washington was unwise.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
That’s a risk that seems deeply unwise.
—Julian Baron, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwise
Adjective
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Evening rush-hour commuters — who thought winter was over — felt foolish after the city was socked with a record-breaking spring snowfall.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
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The glamorous branding of premium cards can also lead some consumers to make foolish mistakes by running up high-interest credit card debt.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The decision to hire independent, outside counsel comes after two district employees were arrested last month, both accused of inappropriate relationships with students.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Separately, Ryals allegedly admitted to inappropriate contact with the victim while alone at the Howe Fire Station, court documents said.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Of course, sometimes the situation is more serious than stupid.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
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The American people are not stupid and will not accept more failure theater from Republicans in Congress.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The group never uses the word unless there is something silly going on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
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For Grabinski, what unites all of these projects is the fine art of creating a world that is emotionally smart yet deeply silly, fun, and expressive.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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To be fair, those imprudent claims were made without the benefit of seeing this evidence.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Now, because of his imprudent and inaccurate sloganeering, even with a majority of his appointees sitting on the board, the mayor faces the prospect of a legal and political fiasco that implicates the honesty of his most prominent promise to his constituents.—
Christian Browne,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Rock and pop are often unsophisticated, or downright dumb.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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Urban infrastructure, after all, is still pretty dumb—forcing robotaxis to be designed around transit systems that are decades old.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This series is inspired by the shocking and absurd true story of the suburban dentist who built a drug empire behind the façade of the American dream.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
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To consider Karaban as anything but an abject success story is absurd.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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What the report found In response to the allegations in Minnesota, Abbott issued six directives to the state workforce and human services commissions to identify if Texas had a problem with improper payments, specifically with fraud.—
Jess Huff,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
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Manufacturers, though, don’t have to comply if the breakdown is the result of neglect or improper modifications made by the consumer.—
Gray Rohrer,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwise. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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