INSALUBRIOUS Synonyms: 21 Similar and Opposite Words

insalubrious

adjective

ˌin-sə-ˈlü-brē-əs

Definition of insalubrious

as in poisonous

bad for the well-being of the body after inhaling the insalubrious city smog for a month, I was happy to once again breathe in the fresh air of the country

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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 insalubrious The refuse rising in insalubrious piles, some taller than the pedestrians trying to avoid them, is a smelly, visceral symbol of popular outrage at the government’s plan. — Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023 Many of the area's most insalubrious haunts are long gone, and in their place mostly restaurants, which come and go. — Tom Page, CNN, 30 Jan. 2023 Exercise enjoys a health halo, justifying, for some of us, insalubrious habits. — Gretchen Reynolds, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Jan. 2023 On the site of an important 19th-century water mill, in a somewhat insalubrious part of town, is a modest looking Mosque with a beautiful new artwork. — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021

Recent Examples of Synonyms for insalubrious

Adjective

Now, a poisonous residue on the same crowbar has left him incapacitated.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
This low-temperature, low-pressure hydrometallurgical method removes arsenic cleanly and operates without fossil fuels or poisonous gas emissions.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of poisonous

Adjective

Warnings of unhealthful air quality remained in effect Saturday across a wide swath of the United States due to smoke from Canadian wildfires that has engulfed the Northeast in haze for days.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026
The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.

— Joan Morris, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026

Definition of unhealthful

Adjective

And users can report inaccurate, toxic or harmful content by clicking the thumbs down icon shown at the bottom of the response.

— Robin Brewer, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
Aside from the immediate vocal strain and airway inflammation noted by otolaryngologists, major health institutions warn that regular vaping exposes the body to a cocktail of toxic chemicals, cardiovascular strain and respiratory risks.

— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of toxic

Adjective

The history between these men is more noxious than your garden-variety case of paternal neglect — there’s been emotional and physical abuse.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Yakuza organized ultra-nationalist outfits like the National Essence Society, which aimed to crush such noxious foreign influences as Marxism.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of noxious

Adjective

Newcomer Mia Tharia’s Josie is a sickly genius who’s invariably kind to Klara and precociously self-aware in the vein of YA teen heroes everywhere.

— Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
Having lost one daughter, Chrissy sought perfection in her remaining child, ignoring the risks of the modification procedure that have resulted in sickly Josie slowly succumbing to a chronic illness.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of sickly

Adjective

For example, people taking the drugs typically consume fewer unhealthy foods and less alcohol in favor of healthier products.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Schools in the state of Johor Bahru in Malaysia have also closed due to the air quality reaching unhealthy levels.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of unhealthy

Adjective

Employees were observed to only sanitize their gloved hands after touching insanitary surfaces and then resumed touching RTE food and various food contact surfaces.

— Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2025
The company admitted that by January 2021 some employees were aware that the insanitary conditions were causing products to become contaminated.

— Kate Gibson, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2024

Definition of insanitary

Browse Nearby Words

ins

insalubrious

ins and outs

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“Insalubrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insalubrious. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of insalubrious

adjective

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