1
as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body
health inspectors shut down several food stands that were using tainted and unwholesome meat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corrupt
having or showing lowered moral character or standards
despite having been raised in such unwholesome environments as a brothel and a traveling circus, singer Edith Piaf rose to international stardom
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 unwholesome
Their jail is strange and unwholesome.
—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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
The public, however, knew what to expect from this unwholesome mixture of politics and celebrity and didn’t tune in.
—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
As for the place, its veneer of comfortable tourism doesn’t hide the air of something unwholesome, especially when female guests start randomly throwing up.
—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Feb. 2024
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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
The public, however, knew what to expect from this unwholesome mixture of politics and celebrity and didn’t tune in.
—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
As for the place, its veneer of comfortable tourism doesn’t hide the air of something unwholesome, especially when female guests start randomly throwing up.
—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwholesome
Adjective
-
All of this played out against an increasingly poisonous political environment.
-
Sago palm, oleander, foxglove, azaleas and lily of the valley are all common and all poisonous.
Adjective
-
In reality, leaders on both sides are corrupt and always on the edge of disaster.
-
My career actually focuses on bonding and preventing taxpayers from being on the hook for the failures of bankrupt and corrupt companies.
Adjective
-
From downtown Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Valley, tens of thousands were enveloped in unhealthful levels of smoke, even as some local officials told residents that the air posed no danger.
-
The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.
Adjective
-
Faster delivery with degraded quality just accelerates technical debt and erodes user trust.
-
Her days are spent growing coral fragments in nurseries, cleaning restoration structures, managing coral predators and transplanting coral onto degraded reefs.
Adjective
-
Decomposing food can release hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas synonymous with landfills and garbage.
-
Low employee morale often grows from ongoing negative interactions and toxic workplace cultures.
Adjective
-
Having a sick pet is emotionally a lot to handle.
-
Preventing infestation Just because one calf is sick doesn’t mean the entire herd will get it, Cammack said.
Adjective
-
After more than a decade as a reviewer, Jason Bennett has an unhealthy love for rogue-like survival games and terrible puns.
-
Air quality in the Marysvale area is expected to reach unhealthy levels by the afternoon and evening.
Adjective
-
Lineage hired contractors who are measuring this noxious gas and other pollution.
-
But the real pleasure is the 303 basslines that squirm in between the drums, coating the soundscapes of the tracks in grime and noxious soot.
Cite this Entry
“Unwholesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwholesome. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
