What does "unhealthy" mean?

1. (bad for your body) likely to make you sick or cause health problems over time. 2. (sick or physically weak) not in good health; having a disease or a weak body. 3. (mentally or emotionally harmful) describing a feeling, relationship, or interest that is not normal or causes mental stress.

unhealthy

adj.

US //ənˈhɛɫθi// UK //ʌnhˈɛlθi// un·healthy

1 bad for your body (adj.)
A2 Elementary

likely to make you sick or cause health problems over time.

conducive to poor health; describing habits, diets, or environments that negatively impact physical well-being.

Example

Eating too much fast food is an unhealthy habit that can lead to weight gain.

Example

The city's air quality reached unhealthy levels during the heatwave, prompting officials to advise residents to stay indoors.
- harmful
- insalubrious
- poor
- healthy
- wholesome
2 sick or physically weak (adj.)
A2 Elementary

not in good health; having a disease or a weak body.

not possessing good health; physically unwell or displaying symptoms of illness.

Example

The plant looked unhealthy because it hadn't been watered in weeks.

Example

The doctor was concerned by the patient's unhealthy complexion and ordered a series of blood tests to rule out anemia.

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3 mentally or emotionally harmful (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

describing a feeling, relationship, or interest that is not normal or causes mental stress.

indicative of or contributing to a disturbed mental or emotional state; often used to describe obsessive or toxic social dynamics.

Example

They decided to break up because they were in an unhealthy relationship.

Example

The psychologist noted that the patient had developed an unhealthy obsession with social media validation, which was affecting his self-esteem.
- wholesome
- stable

Origin

From un- + healthy.

Word family

Adjectivehealthy
Adjectiveunhealthy