unhealthy

adjective

un·​healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē 

unhealthier; unhealthiest

1

: not conducive to health : not healthful

an unhealthy climate

unhealthy habits

unhealthy foods

2

: not in good health : sickly, diseased

unhealthy animals

3

a

: risky, unsound

an unhealthy economy

b

: of a harmful nature : bad, injurious

unhealthy levels of lead

c

: morally contaminated : corrupt, unwholesome

an unhealthy imagination

unhealthily

ˌən-ˈhel-thə-lē 

adverb

unhealthiness

ˌən-ˈhel-thē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• insalubrious
• noisome
• noxious
• sickly
• unhealthful
• unwholesome

Examples of unhealthy in a Sentence

Her skin looks blotchy and unhealthy.

Tests revealed an unhealthy level of lead in the water.

Eating honey can be unhealthy for babies.

He was stuck in an unhealthy relationship.

She has an unhealthy interest in natural disasters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Setting boundaries, removing yourself from unhealthy situations, or forgiving the version of you that said yes to those people or things is vital now in your process of moving on. —Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2024

My coping strategies were bad, unhealthy, self-destructive, and dangerous. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

If the cigarette smoke levels in and around your mobile home can be shown to be unhealthy, a court can issue an injunction to prohibit or minimize it. —Christopher A. Combs, The Arizona Republic, 29 Oct. 2024

Total Time: 45 Minutes Get The Recipe 51 of 62 Lightened-Up Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Casseroles get a bad reputation for being full of unhealthy ingredients. —Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

unhealthy

adjective

un·​healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē 

1

: not conducive to good health : not healthful

an unhealthy climate

2

: not in good health : sickly, diseased

3

a

: risky, unsound

an unhealthy economy

b

: injurious, bad

unhealthily

-thə-lē 

adverb

unhealthiness

-thē-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

unhealthy

adjective

un·​healthy -ˈhel-thē 

unhealthier; unhealthiest

1

: not conducive to health

an unhealthy climate

2

: not in good health : sickly

unhealthiness noun