unhealthy

adjective

un·​healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
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 adverb
unhealthiness noun

Examples of unhealthy in a Sentence

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
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.
The researchers suggested improvements to infrastructure to reduce traffic congestion, expand public transport and increase opportunities to work from home would all help combat unhealthy eating. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025 The 21 participating food companies pledged to cut back on marketing unhealthy foods to children under 12 — later revised to under 13. Maria Godoy, NPR, 4 Feb. 2025 Those who witnessed his work in England’s West Midlands talk about a man who wanted to win so much that his passion almost became unhealthy. James Pearce, The Athletic, 2 Feb. 2025 Kennedy wanted to focus on topics that are much less divisive: America’s chronic disease epidemic and the unhealthy food that is widely available and consumed in this country. Miles Bryan, Vox, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for unhealthy 

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unhealthy was in 1595

Dictionary Entries Near unhealthy

Cite this Entry

“Unhealthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhealthy. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

unhealthy

adjective
un·​healthy ˌən-ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
1
: not conducive to good health : not healthful
an unhealthy climate
2
: not in good health : sickly, diseased
3
a
: risky, unsound
an unhealthy economy
b
unhealthily adverb
unhealthiness noun

Medical Definition

unhealthy

adjective
un·​healthy -ˈhel-thē How to pronounce unhealthy (audio)
unhealthier; unhealthiest
1
: not conducive to health
an unhealthy climate
2
: not in good health : sickly
unhealthiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unhealthy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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