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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
The economic reality is that, despite Putin’s tough guy bluster and despite higher oil and gas prices as well as the unwise relaxation of energy sanctions on Russia, Putin’s house of cards is still more vulnerable than many realize.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
23 May 2026
With runners on first and second and one away, new reliever Tim Hill then made the unwise decision to throw to third after fielding a comebacker.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
That would be unwise, given its steady sales and good fit in its market.
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New Atlas,
2 May 2026
Some users agreed that enabling message previews on any kind of device—not just Apple’s—seemed unwise in light of 404 Media’s reporting.
—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
23 May 2026
With runners on first and second and one away, new reliever Tim Hill then made the unwise decision to throw to third after fielding a comebacker.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
That would be unwise, given its steady sales and good fit in its market.
—
New Atlas,
2 May 2026
Some users agreed that enabling message previews on any kind of device—not just Apple’s—seemed unwise in light of 404 Media’s reporting.
—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwise
Adjective
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Further, Plato’s disdain for Gorgias, Antisthenes’ first teacher, and sophistry in general is clear; in the Platonic dialogue Gorgias, the titular character is made out to be rather foolish.
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One is villianized and one is made to look foolish.
Adjective
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Murdaugh’s attorneys appealed the convictions, saying the trial was tainted by the county clerk Becky Hill’s inappropriate comments to jurors implying his guilt.
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Live streams and other unfiltered media can expose kids to risky or inappropriate content, so adult guidance is key.
Adjective
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And no, that was NOT OutKick or FOX who wrote that stupid headline.
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The thing about House of the Dragon is that everything really is quite stupid.
Adjective
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Every player with a pulse had six suitors throwing silly money around.
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Some scenes in the movie are light and silly, including those pairing Maddie with a lesbian friend, played by Kate Berlant, who clearly loves her.
Adjective
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Additional charges included negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, endangering property, life, and person, as well as recklessly driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons and property.
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To be fair, those imprudent claims were made without the benefit of seeing this evidence.
Adjective
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Not all blondes are dumb, don’t judge a book by its cover, yada yada yada, lo and behold, Reese Witherspoon is a certified movie star.
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Though Cady has made some gestures toward helping the Bowdens, like his behind-the-scenes effort to get one of Anna’s death-row clients exonerated last week, Tom and Anna should not be so dumb as to ignore his ulterior motives.
Adjective
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The 41-year-old is still an elite NBA player, which is still an absurd reality to consider.
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The thesis rests on a claim that would have sounded absurd a year ago.
Adjective
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While the expiration of the enhanced ACA subsidies at the end of 2025 made insurance more expensive for millions of consumers, the HHS assistant secretary for planning and evaluation report cited efforts to crack down on improper signups.
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The agency is also asking visitors to the World Cup game or Fan Fest to report any unsafe or improper drone use to the FBI tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Cite this Entry
“Unwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwise. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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