unwholesome

American  

[uhn-hohl-suhm] / ʌnˈhoʊl səm /

adjective

1. not wholesome; unhealthful; deleterious to health or physical or moral well-being.

   unwholesome food; unwholesome activities.

   Synonyms:

   pernicious, noxious, insalubrious

2. not sound in health; unhealthy, especially in appearance; suggestive of disease.

   an unwholesome pallor.

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unwholesome British  

/ ʌnˈhəʊlsəm /

adjective

1. detrimental to physical or mental health

   an unwholesome climate

2. morally harmful or depraved

   unwholesome practices

3. indicative of illness, esp in appearance

4. (esp of food) of inferior quality

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Other Word Forms

• unwholesomely adverb
• unwholesomeness noun

Etymology

Origin of unwholesome

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200; un- ¹, wholesome

Example Sentences

One councilman, Howard Springsteen, said casinos bring “an unwholesome community.”

From Seattle Times • Dec. 27, 2023

Many, including writer Jeremy Pugh, consider the Mountain States as the region of origin of the beverage, which he describes as "an unwholesome co-mingling of flavors that were once deemed 'suicides.'"

From Salon • Dec. 3, 2022

“Don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 22, 2022

As Ghilarducci asserts, that’s a distinctly unwholesome development, especially for younger people who may just now be entering their prime earning years.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2022

Clearly the ring had an unwholesome power that set to work on its keeper at once.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien