1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
e-mail scams that take advantage of unwary recipients
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in careless
not paying or showing close attention especially for the purpose of avoiding trouble
a dangerous stretch of desert that has claimed many unwary travelers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in susceptible
readily taken advantage of
unwary consumers who unquestioningly swallow the dubious claims of TV pitchmen
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwary
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have given fraudsters a host of new tools to trick unwary individuals into dishonest schemes.
—
Ranjita Iyer, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
That’s because the agency’s duty is to stand in the way of businesses desiring to push unsafe and ineffective nostrums at unwary consumers, and also in the way of a perverse idea that personal freedom includes the freedom to be gulled by charlatans.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
These are unexplainable phenomena scattered throughout the game’s world that can kill an unwary player in an instant.
—Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
The result is that fraudsters have rushed into cryptocurrency, exploiting the complexity and hype to dupe the unwary.
—Hilary Allen, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for unwary
Ranjita Iyer, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
That’s because the agency’s duty is to stand in the way of businesses desiring to push unsafe and ineffective nostrums at unwary consumers, and also in the way of a perverse idea that personal freedom includes the freedom to be gulled by charlatans.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
These are unexplainable phenomena scattered throughout the game’s world that can kill an unwary player in an instant.
—Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
The result is that fraudsters have rushed into cryptocurrency, exploiting the complexity and hype to dupe the unwary.
—Hilary Allen, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for unwary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwary
Adjective
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By enjoying the exciting spectacle, their fans have willingly become mindless followers—idol worshippers who are too misguided, and naive, to see they’re being led toward their own destruction.—
Yvonne Kim,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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Speaking of burnout, that was the ultimate destination for the generation that came before, singed by their naive belief that adopting a neo-Stakhanovite approach to work and careers would pay off.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Nobody ever did find out who was so stupid and careless enough to drop an animal trap right in front of somebody’s gate.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Agbadou has appeared sluggish and careless at the heart of defence, while Andre has lacked his customary composure in midfield.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The position of elementary education among the least susceptible to poverty might be surprising, but elementary school teachers are scarce and in demand.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Children and babies are more susceptible to lead toxicity due to their smaller body size, metabolism, and rapid growth.—
Toby Meyjes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Someone's mispronunciation, for example, might have more do with innocent ignorance as opposed to a mistake worth correcting.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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The new location will allow Wiggam Law to support clients outside of downtown Atlanta and directly in Gwinnett County, offering legal services including audit defense, tax litigation, penalty abatement, innocent spouse relief and IRS collections representation.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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With no hospital in sight and no health workers around, Amani was forced to deliver in unsafe and high-risk conditions.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
In the same way there’s no conclusive data to say chemical sunscreen formulas are inherently more toxic than mineral ones, there’s no conclusive data to say SPF boosters are inherently safe or unsafe.—
Dani Hardman,
Allure,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Summarizing decades of comics history is no easy task but the team pulls it off well here.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Transforming Amazon into a startup-like environment isn’t an easy task.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Nestled among the picturesque seaside towns on France’s blustery northern coast is an unsuspecting place called Deauville.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
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The video then shows the suspect unfolding a knife and standing before attacking the unsuspecting Zarutska.—
Alex Gangitano,
The Hill,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This lopsided risk-reward structure encourages bold, sometimes reckless decisions.—
Jim Vinoski,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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All of them, vehicles and passengers, were initially left stranded, victims of a reckless decision.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unwary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwary. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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