unhealthy

adjective

un·​healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
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 adverb
unhealthiness noun

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 While putting your kids first isn’t necessarily a bad thing, according to experts, intensive parenting can lead to unhealthy pressures being placed on kids, and parents who aren’t focusing on themselves, to the point of leading a dangerously unbalanced life.3 What's Causing Intensive Parenting? Melissa Willets, Parents, 26 Oct. 2024 This is done to control premium costs for everyone by using the lower costs incurred by healthy participants to keep in check the higher costs incurred by unhealthy participants. Stephanie Armour | Kff Health News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024 Competing with others in unhealthy ways could lead to conflicts with colleagues or excessive jealousy in romantic relationships. Laura Dorwart, Verywell Health, 25 Oct. 2024 Those in favor say people should disentangle from unhealthy relationships without shame, and that family should be held to the same standards as friends and romantic partners. Jeanette Tran, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unhealthy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unhealthy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unhealthy was in 1595

Dictionary Entries Near unhealthy

Cite this Entry

“Unhealthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhealthy. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

unhealthy

adjective
un·​healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
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
unhealthily adverb
unhealthiness noun

Medical Definition

unhealthy

adjective
un·​healthy -ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
unhealthier; unhealthiest
1
: not conducive to health
an unhealthy climate
2
: not in good health : sickly
unhealthiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unhealthy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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