unwise

adjective

ˌən-ˈwīz How to pronounce unwise (audio)
Definition of unwisenext
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

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 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 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 And given this context, Anthropic’s actions are viewed by many within Washington as not simply unwise, but actively antagonistic. — Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 17 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for unwise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwise
  1. foolish
  2. inappropriate
  3. stupid
  4. silly
  5. imprudent
  6. dumb
  7. absurd
  8. improper
Adjective
  • Comparing Young’s new deal to any extension for Davis would be a foolish exercise.
    — Josh Robbins, New York Times, 30 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of foolish
Adjective
  • 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.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
  • Live streams and other unfiltered media can expose kids to risky or inappropriate content, so adult guidance is key.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 28 June 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • And no, that was NOT OutKick or FOX who wrote that stupid headline.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • The thing about House of the Dragon is that everything really is quite stupid.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • Every player with a pulse had six suitors throwing silly money around.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
  • 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.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 30 June 2026
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • And this is Minsky’s point, that speculative excesses during euphoric, transformative periods result in imprudent financing, fragility, and instability.
    — Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 4 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Definition of imprudent
Adjective
  • The State’s humor is an interesting mixture of extremely dumb and self-aware.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 July 2026
  • Mayhem comes to a coastal New England town in the form of a killer shark who hunts anybody dumb enough to get in the water.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • The 41-year-old is still an elite NBA player, which is still an absurd reality to consider.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • The thesis rests on a claim that would have sounded absurd a year ago.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of absurd
Adjective
  • 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.
    — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • 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.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of improper

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Cite this Entry

“Unwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwise. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unwise for Spanish Speakers

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