unwary

adjective

ˌən-ˈwer-ē How to pronounce unwary (audio)
Definition of unwarynext
1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment e-mail scams that take advantage of unwary recipients

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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

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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

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 unwary 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 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 Some of these bad actors are even setting up fake Hugging Face profiles to pose as Meta or other technology companies to lure downloads from the unwary, according to Swanson. — Iain Martin, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 To joke about faking the moon landing while faking romance is a twisted attempt at keeping us gullible and unwary. — Armond White, National Review, 17 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for unwary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwary
  1. naive
  2. careless
  3. susceptible
  4. innocent
  5. unsafe
  6. easy
  7. unsuspecting
  8. reckless
Adjective
  • The credulous faith that these superpowers will voluntarily settle for some form of peaceful coexistence, if only they are sufficiently propitiated with concessions, is naive and dangerous.
    — Michael Miklaucic, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Similarly naive are Trump’s and Biden’s attempts to regulate access to AI information — such as China’s AI restrictions.
    — Lutz Finger, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of naive
Adjective
  • Sauter pleaded no contest to several charges, including vehicular homicide and careless operation of a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license resulting in death.
    — Frank Fernandez, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
  • McIlroy wasted a superb opening round with two careless double bogeys leaving him seven shots behind.
    — Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of careless
Adjective
  • Those who are not vaccinated are susceptible to the disease, Calendar said.
    — Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Risks to Consider Broadcom is still susceptible to broader economic trends.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • That innocent people are disappearing into El Salvador’s prisons is no secret—making the embrace of Bukele a disturbing signal of just how far a strongman can go without losing political ground.
    — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
  • His innocent questions were always softened by stoner jokes.
    — Peter Bart, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • Concerns over substandard farmworker housing intensified after a 2023 mass shooting in Half Moon Bay drew attention to the unsafe and often overlooked living conditions of the region’s agricultural workforce.
    — Ryan Macasero, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Dujarric said that nearly 90% of water infrastructure – including wells, pumping stations, and sewage plants – had been destroyed or damaged by hostilities, exacerbating disease risks and forcing families to rely on unsafe sources.
    — Abeer Salman, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of unsafe
Adjective
  • The proliferation of issue-position groups is made easier by the ability to quickly find and connect with people who share your views via the internet and social media.
    — Jen Cole Wright, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Finding a great car seat toy can make traveling with a baby much easier and more enjoyable.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of easy
Adjective
  • Midfielder Luca De La Torre shot a rocket from distance on an otherwise unsuspecting attack and found the top right corner in the 50th minute, continuing a trend of conceding in the five minutes on either side of halftime.
    — Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Over a few days, a stalk bursts out of the ant’s head, and eventually pops open to release new spores down to the unsuspecting ants milling around on the ground below.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of unsuspecting
Adjective
  • An arrest warrant was obtained for Lacy for negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle.
    — Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Torres is charged with arson and reckless endangerment, according to the FDNY.
    — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of reckless

Browse Nearby Words

unwarranted
unwary
unwashed
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Cite this Entry

“Unwary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwary. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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