unwise

unwise — adjective

1. based on or resulting from poor judgment, so that something bad or unpleasant is

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

based on or resulting from poor judgment, so that something bad or unpleasant is likely to happen — for example, taking out a loan you have no way of repaying, or driving home after drinking at a party.

Example

Ramón thought it was unwise to invest all his savings in a single company.

it + be + unwise + to-infinitive

It would be unwise for Hoa to leave her job before finding another one.

it + be + unwise + for + person + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • unwise decision
  • unwise choice
  • unwise investment
  • unwise comment
  • unwise to ignore
  • unwise to trust
  • unwise to assume
  • politically unwise
Synonyms
  • foolish

    More emotionally charged and judgmental; implies the person should have known better.

  • imprudent

    More formal; focuses on lack of caution or forethought rather than lack of intelligence.

  • inadvisable

    Describes the action rather than the person; less direct and slightly more polite.

Antonyms
  • wise

    Direct opposite; showing good judgment based on experience and knowledge.

  • prudent

    Careful and sensible, especially about avoiding unnecessary risks.

  • advisable

    Recommended as the best course of action in the circumstances.

Grammar Patterns

it + be + unwise + to-infinitive

unwise + noun

be + unwise + for + person + to-infinitive

consider/call/think + noun/pronoun + unwise

Usage Note

Common in both attributive position (an unwise decision) and predicative position (the decision was unwise). The to-infinitive pattern (it is unwise to…) is the most frequent construction. Stronger than 'not wise' — it implies an active error in judgment rather than a merely suboptimal choice.

Common Mistakes

She made an unwise decision when she chose the cheaper phone.
She made an unwise decision when she took out a loan she could not repay.
'unwise' implies a clear risk of harm or loss, not just a less-than-ideal preference.
It is unwise for he to go alone.
It is unwise for him to go alone.
After the preposition 'for', use the object pronoun 'him'.
That was a very unwise idea.' (overusing as mild criticism)
That was an unwise idea
we could have lost all our money.' — 'unwise' is stronger than most learners expect; reserve it for genuinely risky or ill-judged actions.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe actions or decisions that reflect poor judgment, but they differ in tone and emphasis. 'Unwise' is the most neutral and common — it states that a choice lacks good judgment without strong emotion. 'Foolish' is more personal and critical, often suggesting the person should have known better ('a foolish gamble'). 'Imprudent' is formal and focuses on lack of caution or long-term planning ('imprudent financial planning'). 'Inadvisable' is the most polite and indirect, describing the action itself as not recommended rather than criticising the person ('it is inadvisable to go out in this storm'). Use 'unwise' in everyday speech and writing; use 'imprudent' in formal business or policy contexts; use 'foolish' when you want to express stronger disapproval; use 'inadvisable' when you wish to soften the criticism.

foolish ↗imprudentinadvisableunwise ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • unwise decision
  • unwise choice
  • unwise investment
  • unwise comment
  • unwise move
  • unwise step

Adverbs

  • politically unwise
  • financially unwise
  • clearly unwise
  • obviously unwise
  • extremely unwise

Phrases

  • it is unwise to
  • it would be unwise to
  • prove unwise
  • consider something unwise
  • seem unwise

Prepositions

  • unwise for (a person to do something)
  • unwise of (a person to do something)

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Combines the Old English prefix un- (meaning 'not') with the adjective wise, which comes from Old English wīs ('having good judgment, learned, sagacious'). The word has been in English since before the 12th century, and its meaning has remained stable: lacking the wisdom or good sense that would lead to a sound decision.