1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
e-mail scams that take advantage of unwary recipients
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in careless
not paying or showing close attention especially for the purpose of avoiding trouble
a dangerous stretch of desert that has claimed many unwary travelers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in susceptible
readily taken advantage of
unwary consumers who unquestioningly swallow the dubious claims of TV pitchmen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwary
That can create a trap for unwary taxpayers because the law requires taxpayers to sue for a refund within two years of the IRS disallowing it.
—
Tom Cullinan, Forbes.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Nothing can stop unwary parents from relying on the judgment of Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make healthcare decisions for their infants and children.
—Michael Hiltzik, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have given fraudsters a host of new tools to trick unwary individuals into dishonest schemes.
—Ranjita Iyer, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
That’s because the agency’s duty is to stand in the way of businesses desiring to push unsafe and ineffective nostrums at unwary consumers, and also in the way of a perverse idea that personal freedom includes the freedom to be gulled by charlatans.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwary
Tom Cullinan, Forbes.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Nothing can stop unwary parents from relying on the judgment of Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make healthcare decisions for their infants and children.
—Michael Hiltzik, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have given fraudsters a host of new tools to trick unwary individuals into dishonest schemes.
—Ranjita Iyer, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
That’s because the agency’s duty is to stand in the way of businesses desiring to push unsafe and ineffective nostrums at unwary consumers, and also in the way of a perverse idea that personal freedom includes the freedom to be gulled by charlatans.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unwary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwary
Adjective
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Erin Dubreuil leads the cast as Cady, credibly playing a naive teen, but with the vocal and dance chops of an experienced pro.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2026
-
Palace require depth, and loaning anyone who is considered to be able to play a part would be naive.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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Rayshawn Cox, 32, was cited on suspicion of careless driving resulting in death and two counts of careless driving causing serious bodily injury, Wheat Ridge police spokesperson Alex Rose said.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
26 May 2026
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Notre Dame’s dominance has been highlighted by relentless fundamentals and limited errors, the perfect antidote to Syracuse’s free-flowing and occasionally careless approach.—
Tribune News Service,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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Peaches are susceptible to several diseases, including peach leaf curl, brown rot, bacterial spot, and peach scab, as well as plum curculio and other pests.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
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Commercial country music, a format of songwriting that is at least somewhat reliant on wordplay and the constant re-arranging of a familiar set of symbols (trucks, mud, whiskey, and so forth), can be particularly susceptible to the accusations.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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The allegations are that the defendant was impaired, failed to properly secure two young children, and then caused a crash that left one child dead, another seriously injured, and an innocent driver badly hurt.—
Gino Vicci,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
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Concurrently, the Met botch their way through their investigation, diverting all their attention to an entirely innocent man while ignoring the serial offender under their nose.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Recent heavy rain has also shown weak spots in Atlanta's road infrastructure as major sections of the Atlanta Connector flooded during rush hour traffic, and even forced the Waymo driverless car service to suspend operations as road conditions became too unsafe.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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The food manager and food handler certificates had expired, some beans were stored at an unsafe temperature and the can opener was dirty.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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The first approach—the easiest default position—is to squeeze out the remaining essence of neoliberalism, taking the wealthiest patrons as the primary audience, whatever interests and investments that entails.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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The neighborhood/area While Rajvilas is set outside the city center, Jaipur’s main attractions are an easy drive away.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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Clement and Waititi appear in front of the camera as well as two of the vampires sharing a Wellington flat and doing their best to lure unsuspecting victims to drink their blood without drawing too much attention from the modern world.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
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Gutters can be unsuspecting areas where water builds up and creates ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Hal had taken risks Kate thought were reckless.—
Debora Cahn,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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Many savings and loans, retail banks created by quirks in banking law decades earlier, made reckless investments when the Fed’s high interest rates in the early 1980s crushed their traditional business.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwary. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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