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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stupid
not having or showing a deep understanding of something
a stunningly unwise observer of the political scene
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwise
One of the lessons from Denver’s last two playoff runs should be that while Aaron Gordon is perfectly capable of handling those minutes at center, overextending him is unwise.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 May 2025
In fact, without unwise government interference, that type of insurance would have evolved naturally through free market competition.
—John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
Trump would be unwise to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
—Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Another unwise Medi-Cal enhancement Newsom proposes to roll back is the extension of nursing home coverage for seniors with significant assets.
—Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 May 2025
In fact, without unwise government interference, that type of insurance would have evolved naturally through free market competition.
—John C. Goodman, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
Trump would be unwise to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
—Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
Another unwise Medi-Cal enhancement Newsom proposes to roll back is the extension of nursing home coverage for seniors with significant assets.
—Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwise
Adjective
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Underestimating China would be a grave error, but underestimating the United States would be equally foolish.—
Damien Ma,
Foreign Affairs,
1 July 2025
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Gi-hun himself proved a tough protagonist to root for when the show began, as a foolish gambling addict hoping to reconnect with his family but who becomes obsessed with the games anyway.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Outrageous videos of purple-haired teachers voicing deeply political and inappropriate content on social media often reach millions of people, creating the false impression that teachers are generally unhinged and want to use their perch to push a personal agenda.—
Carrie Lukas,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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Last season, Horner also came under scrutiny during an investigation into inappropriate and controlling behavior towards a female employee.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Instead, the series seems determined to prove that age is just a number by forcing its leads, now including Choudhury and Parker, to act as if 50 is the new (and very stupid) 30.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
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Jurassic Park, based on the Michael Crichton best-seller, is an evolutionary joke: Man, the master of the universe, has become mere flesh, consumed by animals allegedly too stupid to survive.—
David Denby,
Vulture,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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From the vantage point of 2025, this appears as absurd as suggesting that women’s soccer matches should be 70 minutes instead of 90, the same as in the men’s game.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
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The French super powerhouse has taken teams part since winning the UEFA Champions League crown on May 24, outscoring its foes by an absurd 21-1 margin.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Prevost has already had a showbiz publicist offer to represent him, and a journalist stop by post-interview to give him tips on what is imprudent to say on live TV—such as his imminent travel plans.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
1 July 2025
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Continually placing financial stress on our hospitals and denying consistent, desperately needed care to undocumented individuals is financially imprudent—and morally bankrupt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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One of Netflix’s big movie plays for July is the sequel to its very silly but very fun action fantasy film The Old Guard.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
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None of that, however, excuses the silly and juvenile behavior of the Assembly’s majority Democrats last week when the chamber took up a resolution commemorating Pride month.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
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The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt: A 29-year-old man from Lisle was arrested on charges of improper lane usage, speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol at 12:27 a.m. July 1 at East Chicago Avenue and South Naper Boulevard.—
Steve Metsch,
Chicago Tribune,
6 July 2025
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While these tools can help employers screen more job candidates and help identify relevant experience, human resources and legal experts warn improper training and implementation of hiring technologies can proliferate biases.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwise. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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