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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 unwise
One of the lessons from Denver’s last two playoff runs should be that while Aaron Gordon is perfectly capable of handling those minutes at center, overextending him is unwise.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 May 2025
In fact, without unwise government interference, that type of insurance would have evolved naturally through free market competition.
—John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
Trump would be unwise to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
—Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Another unwise Medi-Cal enhancement Newsom proposes to roll back is the extension of nursing home coverage for seniors with significant assets.
—Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 May 2025
In fact, without unwise government interference, that type of insurance would have evolved naturally through free market competition.
—John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
Trump would be unwise to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
—Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Another unwise Medi-Cal enhancement Newsom proposes to roll back is the extension of nursing home coverage for seniors with significant assets.
—Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwise
Adjective
-
The Marlins would be foolish to trade away an ace with affordable team control at his lowest value ever.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
-
Schulman’s characters make enough foolish and self-indulgent choices to fill a volume twice the size of this slim one.—
Book Marks
July 11,
Literary Hub,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Once the encounter was posted online, internet sleuths quickly detected the identity of the duo, and the encounter was deemed particularly inappropriate given Byron is married.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
Schneider has denied allegations of inappropriate behavior and toxicity on set.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
And some stupid Republicans, and foolish Republicans, fall into the net.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 July 2025
-
The film ends with Lady Susan setting herself up in a kind of throuple, although one member of the ménage is too stupid to be so informed.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
The French super powerhouse has taken teams part since winning the UEFA Champions League crown on May 24, outscoring its foes by an absurd 21-1 margin.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
-
From the vantage point of 2025, this appears as absurd as suggesting that women’s soccer matches should be 70 minutes instead of 90, the same as in the men’s game.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
The upshot is that trying to sidestep the riddle of how to cope with AI’s compassionate intelligence is imprudent.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Prevost has already had a showbiz publicist offer to represent him, and a journalist stop by post-interview to give him tips on what is imprudent to say on live TV—such as his imminent travel plans.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
There were no costumes, no silly dances or hit parodies.—
Courtney Devores,
Charlotte Observer,
28 July 2025
-
That may sound silly to some, Foster said, but the work done by the Environmental Protection Agency in placing bands on birds and following the migration of bees informs officials about the impact of projects on the environment.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 July 2025
Adjective
-
Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
-
The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
His attorneys are now seeking access to information from prosecutors and from Mangione's insurer, Aetna, arguing the subpoena was improper.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
18 July 2025
-
The county inspector general, in a December 2021 report, found mismanagement in the district and improper payments made to district trustees.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwise. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share