unsafe

adjective

un·​safe ˌən-ˈsāf 

unsafer; unsafest

: not safe: such as

a

: able or likely to cause harm, damage, or loss

water that is unsafe to drink

unsafe driving habits

unsafe levels of lead

b

: not giving protection from danger, harm, or loss

an unsafe vehicle

unsafe working conditions

c

: not protected from danger, harm, or loss

feeling frightened and unsafe

d

: likely to take risks : not careful

unsafe drivers

Synonyms

• dangerous
• grave
• grievous
• hazardous
• jeopardizing
• menacing
• parlous
• perilous
• risky
• serious
• threatening
• unhealthy
• venturesome

Examples of unsafe in a Sentence

workers are forbidden from engaging in unsafe activities on company time

people who have a record of being unsafe drivers usually have to pay higher insurance premiums

Recent Examples on the Web

Nuclear warheads are especially unsafe when they are located at Russia’s rail transfer points. —William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024

That means there can be unsafe products on the market from irresponsible manufacturers. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 4 Nov. 2024

There are also single-use items, such as a package of plastic straws, that might be difficult to resell or medicines that could be unsafe to market again. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024

Articles about supposedly unsafe robotaxis from journalists and bloggers seem to be a thing of the past, at least for now. —Richard Bishop, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above