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.
—
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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From such small radioactive acorns do poisonous oaks grow.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
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The attack, which only killed the bomber but could have been much worse, is an act worthy of perhaps the dumbest and most poisonous ideology on the planet right now.—
Rich Lowry,
National Review,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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The explosion of money in the game in the past few years has made things only more toxic.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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As explained by Hill's Pet Nutrition, spicy food can be toxic for dogs and can lead to excessive thirst or even vomiting.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Others may be dismissed as unhealthy while actually thriving physically.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
23 May 2025
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This is how the agency defines what levels are considered unhealthy.—
Ignacio Calderon,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Like its unwholesome protagonist, the film — and the roving camera of Vladislav Opelyants, shooting in gorgeously high-contrast black-and-white — is forever on the move, creating an immersive aesthetic experience that amounts to a big pile of nothing.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2025
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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
Adjective
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Diehl goes to great lengths to embody a figure noxious to the eyes and ears — in the most subtle, skin-crawling ways — with the crouched body language of a man resultant to be seen.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
20 May 2025
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The intent, the critics have said, is in fact to stifle findings about the noxious content that is increasingly polluting social media and political discourse.—
Steven Lee Myers,
New York Times,
15 May 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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Lambrusco became synonymous with that sickly tipple—which bore no resemblance to the refreshingly dry and crisp Lambrusco guzzled by Italians.—
Simon Willis,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2025
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In This Article How To Identify Spider Mites Understanding Spider Mites How To Get Rid Of Spider Mites If your once-vigorous plant is starting to look sickly, spider mites may be the culprits.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unhealthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhealthful. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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