as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body
the unhealthful level of smog in the city
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Recent Examples of unhealthful
Health professionals encourage people to use lean cuts of meat because most of the fat in animal products is unhealthful saturated fat, which can raise the risk of heart disease and cancer.
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Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 22 June 2024
With fire comes unhealthful smoke, which also threatens air quality for much of the U.S.
Wildfire smoke blankets much of the East
Many of the areas experiencing wildfire smoke will see moderate air quality for the next several days, according to the U.S. Air Quality Index.
—Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 21 June 2024
The map is color-coded to indicate whether the air is good, unhealthful or hazardous.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2024
In Los Angeles County, however, residents should avoid the water at certain coastal locations because the bacterial levels reached unhealthful levels when last tested, according to an L.A. County Department of Public Health news release.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for unhealthful 
Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 22 June 2024
With fire comes unhealthful smoke, which also threatens air quality for much of the U.S.
Wildfire smoke blankets much of the East
Many of the areas experiencing wildfire smoke will see moderate air quality for the next several days, according to the U.S. Air Quality Index.
—Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 21 June 2024
The map is color-coded to indicate whether the air is good, unhealthful or hazardous.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2024
In Los Angeles County, however, residents should avoid the water at certain coastal locations because the bacterial levels reached unhealthful levels when last tested, according to an L.A. County Department of Public Health news release.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for unhealthful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhealthful
Adjective
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The bacteria survived, protected and fed by the fungus — and the fungus scored a poisonous partner.Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
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New Zealand stone flies are evolving away from mimicking poisonous insects because deforestation has left them nothing to mimic.Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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These small but hazardous items, along with other forms of plastic, can contain harmful chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which can have toxic effects on marine life.Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
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It is known to be toxic in high doses, and low-level exposure may increase the risk of certain cancers.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Air quality concerns Unfortunately, Zehr said any smoke being output by smoldering fires, when combined with light winds, can lead to pollutants being trapped rather than dispersed, creating unhealthy air quality concerns.Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
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But without self-reflection, old relationship patterns can quietly resurface, pulling you back into familiar and unhealthy dynamics.Mark Travers, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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As for the place, its veneer of comfortable tourism doesn’t hide the air of something unwholesome, especially when female guests start randomly throwing up.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024
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Less visibly, Manton operated a side business with a more unwholesome objective: cashing in on his status and power as a judge.Time, Time, 25 July 2023
Adjective
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Employing a blend of industrial fermentation and sustainable chemistry, Pili’s production method slashes the use of noxious chemicals and fossil fuels, a significant concern for many brands.Angela Lei, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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This wildly unsteady The-Fountainhead-meets-There-Will-Be-Blood plotting follows the most noxious strain in contemporary cinema.Armond White, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Two figures, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary who has blown hot and cold over whether children can go back to school, and Robert Jenrick, the local-government minister, who is entangled in a scandal with an insalubrious party donor, look particularly dismal.The Economist, The Economist, 20 June 2020
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The refuse rising in insalubrious piles, some taller than the pedestrians trying to avoid them, is a smelly, visceral symbol of popular outrage at the government’s plan.Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023
Adjective
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Chapman had a sickly husband and took in foster girls to help pay the bills.Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
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The massive four-story brownstone is the sickly shade of green mold, except in the places the façade has chipped off completely.Bridget Read, Curbed, 15 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unhealthful
Cite this Entry
“Unhealthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhealthful. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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