# unhealthy

/ənˈhɛɫθi/ (US) · /ʌnhˈɛlθi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/unhealthy
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. bad for your body

adjective · CEFR A2

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

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

- Eating too much fast food is an unhealthy habit that can lead to weight gain.
- The city's air quality reached unhealthy levels during the heatwave, prompting officials to advise residents to stay indoors.

### 2. sick or physically weak

adjective · CEFR A2

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

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

- The plant looked unhealthy because it hadn't been watered in weeks.
- The doctor was concerned by the patient's unhealthy complexion and ordered a series of blood tests to rule out anemia.

### 3. mentally or emotionally harmful

adjective · CEFR B2

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

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

- They decided to break up because they were in an unhealthy relationship.
- The psychologist noted that the patient had developed an unhealthy obsession with social media validation, which was affecting his self-esteem.

## Examples

- Eating too much sugar is unhealthy for your teeth.
- The doctor warned him that his unhealthy diet and lack of sleep were causing his high blood pressure.
- The therapist noted that their constant need for validation had created an unhealthy dependence that prevented both partners from developing individual interests.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.