1
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
made the unwise decision to invest in a brand-new company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inappropriate
showing poor judgment especially in personal relationships or social situations
an unwise urge to confide in total strangers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stupid
not having or showing a deep understanding of something
a stunningly unwise observer of the political scene
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 unwise
The 2024 initiative was unwise, but voters approved it.
—
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
Handing over credit card or contact details to the people running these sites is, at best, unwise and, at worst, a recipe for malware and identity theft.
—Olivia Solon, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Only 42 seconds after Will Cuylle's goal for New York, Fiala scored his 18th goal by intercepting an unwise pass by former Kings teammate Vladislav Gavrikov.
—CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Assuming that happens would be unwise for New York — Dallas general manager Jim Nill should have the cap space to make a deal work — but the Rangers could try to pounce if the Stars explore trading him.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwise
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
Handing over credit card or contact details to the people running these sites is, at best, unwise and, at worst, a recipe for malware and identity theft.
—Olivia Solon, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Only 42 seconds after Will Cuylle's goal for New York, Fiala scored his 18th goal by intercepting an unwise pass by former Kings teammate Vladislav Gavrikov.
—CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Assuming that happens would be unwise for New York — Dallas general manager Jim Nill should have the cap space to make a deal work — but the Rangers could try to pounce if the Stars explore trading him.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwise
Adjective
-
Counting on one of the league’s most expensive talents to play meaningful minutes from here on out at his age with a track record like that is nearly as foolish as Nico trading a perennial MVP candidate at 26.—
Kevin Sherrington
Feb. 4,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The lesson isn’t that NBA teams are reckless or foolish.—
Spencer Harrison,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The dashboard may identify patients who may have started on a new medication that interacts with a DOAC, patients who have had a change in their kidney function or who have been prescribed an inappropriate dose.—
David Cox,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Other emails from the latest crop of the Epstein files include other inappropriate comments about Beatrice and Eugenie.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But maybe Johnson isn’t stupid.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Such as the one where the candidate remarked that some white rural Americans were stupid and racist.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Don’t feel silly asking at the ski shop.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Walker offers this diagnosis himself, leeringly dismissing Pearl as a silly mommy, awash with hormones, mildly and minorly hysterical.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
If a cost is found imprudent, it is rejected.—
Rory M. Christian,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
That’s imprudent, because the Arctic’s climate is changing more rapidly than anywhere on Earth.—
Paul Bierman,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And then quite a bit of dumb bits, like really dumb bits.—
Eric Ducker,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The multi-vehicle pile-up that ensues might go even dumber than a Rusko drop, yet there’s no escaping the anxiety that remains in the static hiss that closes the track.—
James Gui,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Straight men, in particular, are only talked about, kept in the background, or appearing as authority figures trying to uphold absurd laws and traditions.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Pepsi’s chart is absurd and someone’s going to look stupid when the momentum fades.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The higher the improper payment rate, the bigger the financial hit.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Young children are still learning what are proper and improper behaviors.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwise. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
