What does unwise mean?
Word: Unwise
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Unwise means not sensible; likely to lead to trouble.
Synonyms: foolish, rash, imprudent, silly
Antonyms: wise, sensible, prudent
Word origin: From Old English unwis, built from un- and wis 'wise'.
How do you spell unwise?
Syllables: un - wise
Tricky part: Wise ends in se, though it sounds like a z.
Watch out for: unwize, unwhise
Memory tip: Wisdom and wise share the same s, even though both sound like a z.
Unwise in a sentence
Example 1: It is unwise to swim alone in a fast river.
Example 2: Spending all your pocket money on the first day was unwise.
Example 3: The captain made an unwise choice to bat first on a wet pitch.
Fun Fact
Wise goes back to an ancient root meaning to see or to know, which also gave Latin videre, to see, and English words like video and vision.
Practise the CREST Way
Sound Check
Which word does not rhyme with unwise?
a) revise
b) expertise
c) surprise
d) disguise
Show answer
b) expertise. Expertise ends with an eez sound, so it does not rhyme with unwise even though it ends in ise.
Word Champ
Choose the correct word for the blank:
Climbing the slippery rocks in the dark would be ___, so we waited for daylight.
a) unaware
b) untidy
c) unwise
d) unworthy
Show answer
c) unwise. A choice likely to cause trouble is unwise.
Spell Spies
Choose the misspelt word/s in the given sentence:
Leaving your homework until the night before the test is unwyse, because you will have no time to ask your teacher for help.
a) test and help
b) only unwyse
c) only homework
d) unwyse and teacher
Show answer
b) only unwyse. Wise is spelt with an i, never a y, and unwise keeps it.
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
wsiune
a) showing poor judgement
b) neat and in good order
c) able to bend easily without breaking
d) extremely tired
Show answer
a) showing poor judgement. Put in order, the letters spell unwise: a plan made with poor judgement.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Choose the unwise plan.
a) packing an umbrella in the monsoon
b) wearing a helmet on a scooter
c) drinking clean, boiled water
d) cycling home in the dark without lights
Show answer
d) cycling home in the dark without lights
2. Grandma calls it unwise to go out in the midday heat. She thinks it is ____.
a) very exciting
b) against the law
c) quite cheap
d) not sensible
Show answer
d) not sensible
