unhealthy

The word “unhealthy” means harmful to health, or lacking good health. In plain terms, bad for the body, or (for behaviour or attitudes) mentally or emotionally harmful.

“Unhealthy” is pronounced uhn-HEHL-thee (/ʌnˈhɛl.θi/ in IPA).

Here is “unhealthy” used in a sentence: “A diet high in sugar is unhealthy.”

Words with a similar meaning to “unhealthy” include diseased.

The opposite of “unhealthy” — its antonyms — is healthy.

“Unhealthy” is an adjective.

“Unhealthy” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Unhealthy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: harmful to health, or lacking good health.

Unhealthy describes a general condition or quality that is harmful to health or reflects poor health, such as an unhealthy diet or lifestyle. Sick usually refers to a specific, often temporary state of illness. Something can be habitually unhealthy without a person currently being sick.

Yes, unhealthy is commonly used to describe an unstable or disturbed mental or emotional state, or a relationship that causes psychological harm, such as an unhealthy obsession or an unhealthy relationship. This use extends beyond physical health to emotional wellbeing.

Unhealthy describes something generally harmful or lacking in wellbeing, while toxic is a stronger term often applied to relationships or environments that are actively poisonous or damaging to a person's mental state. Toxic tends to carry a more severe, negative connotation than unhealthy.