as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body
the unhealthful level of smog in the city
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Recent Examples of unhealthful
Onshore winds are pushing smoke from the Sandy fire into Los Angeles County, where neighborhoods from the San Fernando Valley to Arcadia could face unhealthful air for sensitive groups.
—
Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.
—Joan Morris, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026
The unhealthful effects of autocracy remain robust even when accounting for economic differences and when excluding Venezuela and its collapsing health-care system.
—Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for unhealthful
Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.
—Joan Morris, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026
The unhealthful effects of autocracy remain robust even when accounting for economic differences and when excluding Venezuela and its collapsing health-care system.
—Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for unhealthful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhealthful
Adjective
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The plant, which is non-native and is for ornamental purposes, is poisonous to horses.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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Not only are the leaves poisonous to humans and pets, but the vine itself is invasive and can spread disease to trees.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
7 June 2026
Adjective
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Shocked to learn about Waukegan’s toxic legacy, Mendez said she felt compelled to raise awareness about her community’s environmental burdens.—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
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Prosecutors argued at trial that Shirilla drove into the building to end her toxic relationship with Russo, and that Flanagan was an unintended victim who happened to be in the car.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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Heat is then delivered through the tube to burn away the unhealthy inner lining.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
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An unhealthy gut cannot absorb as many healthy nutrients from foods.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Their jail is strange and unwholesome.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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Grievous bodily harm, nonconsensual drugging, murder, yes…still, thank god there’s nothing unwholesome here, like say a man in a dress.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The board said the crude oil spill caught little media attention, most likely because the media was consumed by a threat of explosion of noxious gas leaking from a chemical tank at the GKN Aerospace plant in Garden Grove that resulted in an evacuation of 50,000 people.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
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The company is challenging the county’s decision to award a contract to Oransi LLC for up to 30,000 portable air purifiers intended for residents affected by noxious gases emanating from the Tijuana River.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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In the heyday of her career, her choppy hair, flat chest, sickly pallor and large darting eyes were a manic pixie dream.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
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First, the spots appear, then leaves yellow and fall off the plant, and your rose bush turns into a sickly collection of sticks with no flower buds in sight.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unhealthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhealthful. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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