1
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
e-mail scams that take advantage of unwary recipients
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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
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3
as in susceptible
readily taken advantage of
unwary consumers who unquestioningly swallow the dubious claims of TV pitchmen
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwary
To joke about faking the moon landing while faking romance is a twisted attempt at keeping us gullible and unwary.
—
Armond White, National Review, 17 July 2024
Unless accelerated by a tanning bed, skin damage can take years, if not decades to develop, experts say, leaving today’s unwary youth at risk for early skin aging and lethal skin cancers such as melanoma.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 21 June 2024
That gave the attacker the chance to launch a surprise attack against an unwary Mach.
—Ellen Moynihan, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2024
The result is a dizzying mix of subtle feints, playful conjectures, and strategic silences, far less revolutionary than promised, yet strewn with snares for inexpert and unwary readers.
—Walter Scheidel, Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2022
See all Example Sentences for unwary 
Armond White, National Review, 17 July 2024
Unless accelerated by a tanning bed, skin damage can take years, if not decades to develop, experts say, leaving today’s unwary youth at risk for early skin aging and lethal skin cancers such as melanoma.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 21 June 2024
That gave the attacker the chance to launch a surprise attack against an unwary Mach.
—Ellen Moynihan, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2024
The result is a dizzying mix of subtle feints, playful conjectures, and strategic silences, far less revolutionary than promised, yet strewn with snares for inexpert and unwary readers.
—Walter Scheidel, Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2022
See all Example Sentences for unwary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwary
Adjective
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Mercifully, Newcastle came up against a Leicester side whose setup under Ruud van Nistelrooy was as naive as their defensive performance was pitiful.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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Season 1 introduced Amina (Anjana Vasan), a naive but musically gifted nerd who joins the band Lady Parts to get closer to one member’s hunky brother.Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2024
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Their rounded faces, their piercings and makeup, their lateness and absences and profuse, careless apologies—their vulnerability was almost intolerable.Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
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Michigan fire statistics The leading cause of fire deaths in 2024 through early December are careless smoking (46%), followed by heating (16%) and explosion (16%), a report by Michigan Fire Inspectors Society said.Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 11 Dec. 2024
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Kreskin acknowledged to radio personality Art Bell that his prediction was a hoax, a way of proving that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks the year before had made people susceptible to manipulation.Stephanie Giang-Paunon, Fox News, 11 Dec. 2024
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Indeed, teen drivers are especially susceptible to getting into crashes resulting from distracted driving.Ed Garsten, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
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And thousands of kits that could free more innocent people have been left untested – again.Gina Barton, USA TODAY, 5 Dec. 2024
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While this sounds easy and innocent enough, FAFSA has the potential to become an insidious tool.Noreen Sugrue, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
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At the time of the recall, the FDA, which is charged with protecting Americans from unsafe drugs, was already on notice about troubles at Glenmark.Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 12 Dec. 2024
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The letter requested a formal investigation into the flights, clear communication to officials and an implementation of preventative measures to tackle unsafe drone operations.Sophia Pargas, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
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This ensures any updates are easy and consistent, which is essential for fast-moving companies or rapidly developing products.William Mullane, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
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While many kid behaviors stem from a need for attention, identifying these patterns isn't always easy.Wendy Wisner, Parents, 9 Dec. 2024
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In an Instagram Story uploaded later that evening, Elian Soto filmed his unsuspecting brother, who was in a hot tub at the time, as Soto was doused by friends with a liquid that appeared to be alcohol.Natasha Dye, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
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Presumably some unsuspecting soul in the front seats will be clutching Mr. Inge’s clothing tonight.Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 7 Dec. 2024
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He was originally charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and three counts of felony reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, but his charges were reduced to misdemeanors during a hearing on Tuesday. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING?Lori A Bashian Fox News, Fox News, 13 Dec. 2024
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The original charges — three felony counts of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and one misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct — were pled down this week.Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unwary
Cite this Entry
“Unwary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwary. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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