unhealthy
adjective
un·healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē 
unhealthier; unhealthiest
1
: not conducive to health : not healthful
an unhealthy climate
unhealthy habits
unhealthy foods
2
: not in good health : sickly, diseased
unhealthy animals
3
a
: risky, unsound
an unhealthy economy
b
: of a harmful nature : bad, injurious
unhealthy levels of lead
c
: morally contaminated : corrupt, unwholesome
an unhealthy imagination
unhealthily
ˌən-ˈhel-thə-lē
adverb unhealthiness
ˌən-ˈhel-thē-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- insalubrious
- noisome
- noxious
- sickly
- unhealthful
- unwholesome
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Her skin looks blotchy and unhealthy. Tests revealed an unhealthy level of lead in the water. Eating honey can be unhealthy for babies. He was stuck in an unhealthy relationship. She has an unhealthy interest in natural disasters.
Recent Examples on the Web According to the division’s website, Salt Lake County’s air quality for Wednesday and Thursday was forecast as being unhealthy for sensitive groups as temperatures and ozone levels climb. 
Blake Apgar, The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 Aug. 2022 An air quality alert is in effect in Baltimore on Wednesday, meaning air pollution is unhealthy for vulnerable residents, such as children, people with asthma, heart disease or lung disease and the elderly. Baltimore Sun, 3 Aug. 2022 Officials in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon issued air quality advisories earlier this week, that are expected to last through Saturday, warning that smog may reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Editors, USA TODAY, 30 July 2022 Officials in Seattle and Portland on Tuesday issued air quality advisories expected to last through Saturday, warning that smog may reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. CBS News, 29 July 2022 Officials in Seattle and Portland on Tuesday issued air quality advisories expected to last through Saturday, warning that smog may reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Claire Rush, Anchorage Daily News, 28 July 2022 The era of social-media monopolies has been unhealthy for our collective digital existence. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 28 July 2022 The agency warned that excess smog could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as children, people over 65, and people who are pregnant, have heart disease or respiratory conditions. oregonlive, 28 July 2022 But consistent cycles of restriction and relaxation, intentional weight loss, and weight gain has been shown to be unhealthy for our bodies, said Larmie, who uses they/them pronouns. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 28 July 2022 See More
Blake Apgar, The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 Aug. 2022 An air quality alert is in effect in Baltimore on Wednesday, meaning air pollution is unhealthy for vulnerable residents, such as children, people with asthma, heart disease or lung disease and the elderly. Baltimore Sun, 3 Aug. 2022 Officials in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon issued air quality advisories earlier this week, that are expected to last through Saturday, warning that smog may reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Editors, USA TODAY, 30 July 2022 Officials in Seattle and Portland on Tuesday issued air quality advisories expected to last through Saturday, warning that smog may reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. CBS News, 29 July 2022 Officials in Seattle and Portland on Tuesday issued air quality advisories expected to last through Saturday, warning that smog may reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Claire Rush, Anchorage Daily News, 28 July 2022 The era of social-media monopolies has been unhealthy for our collective digital existence. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 28 July 2022 The agency warned that excess smog could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as children, people over 65, and people who are pregnant, have heart disease or respiratory conditions. oregonlive, 28 July 2022 But consistent cycles of restriction and relaxation, intentional weight loss, and weight gain has been shown to be unhealthy for our bodies, said Larmie, who uses they/them pronouns. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 28 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
unhealthy
adjective
un·healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē
unhealthier; unhealthiest
1
: not good for someone's health : promoting a state of poor health
Smoking is an unhealthy habit.
2
: not in good health : sickly
3
: harmful, bad
an unhealthy situation
Medical Definition
unhealthy
adjective
un·healthy -ˈhel-thē
unhealthier; unhealthiest
1
: not conducive to health
an unhealthy climate
2
: not in good health : sickly
unhealthy
adjective
1
as in unhealthful
bad for the well-being of the body we knew that the junk food at the carnival was unhealthy, but it tasted so good! Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- unhealthful
- toxic
- poisonous
- unwholesome
- sickly
- insalubrious
- noxious
- unsanitary
- unhygienic
- insanitary
- noisome
- lethal
- fatal
- germy
- nonnutritious
- mortal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- healthy
- healthful
- sanitary
- nutritious
- hygienic
2
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury criticism of the military dictatorship has proved to be unhealthy for several of that nation's journalists Synonyms & Similar Words
- dangerous
- hazardous
- risky
- perilous
- unsafe
- serious
- precarious
- menacing
- threatening
- treacherous
- jeopardizing
- harmful
- grave
- destructive
- grievous
- detrimental
- random
- unpleasant
- parlous
- bad
- uncertain
- fatal
- insecure
- venturesome
- sickening
- ugly
- adverse
- haphazard
- lethal
- injurious
- deadly
- pernicious
- fell
- deleterious
- evil
- malignant
- nasty
- hurtful
- distressing
- noxious
- murderous
- dicey
- ill
- chance
- wicked
- ultrahazardous
- killer
- inimical
- dire
- baneful
- mortal
- deathly
- pestilent
- fateful
- baleful
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- harmless
- innocuous
- beneficial
- safe
- good
- innocent
- nonhazardous
- nonthreatening
- unthreatening
- advantageous
- ultrasafe
3
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body she's been unhealthy for almost a week now Synonyms & Similar Words
- sick
- bad
- poorly
- ill
- down
- unsound
- weak
- unwell
- shaky
- dizzy
- ailing
- sickened
- peaky
- fragile
- troubled
- punk
- symptomatic
- peaked
- indisposed
- diseased
- under the weather
- out of sorts
- run-down
- lousy
- sickly
- sickish
- seedy
- lame
- nauseous
- feeble
- disordered
- invalid
- disabled
- queasy
- decrepit
- squeamish
- nauseated
- afflicted
- achy
- debilitated
- woozy
- feverish
- hypochondriacal
- weakly
- frail
- challenged
- cruddy
- infirm
- seasick
- airsick
- qualmish
- queazy
- incapacitated
- hypochondriac
- light-headed
- carsick
- halt
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- healthy
- healthful
- wholesome
- whole
- well
- sound
- better
- hale
- conditioned
- fit
- cured
- improved
- strong
- tough
- robust
- recovering
- hardy
- lusty
- well-conditioned
- mending
- hearty
- thriving
- rugged
- flourishing
- able-bodied
- stalwart
- blooming
- bouncing
- chipper
- rehabilitated
- flush
- convalescing
- recuperating