unsafe
/ʌnˈseɪf/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: unsafer · unsafest · unsafes · unsafing
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Not safe (various senses); dangerous.
Adjective
Examples
For much the same reasons that safe languages are preferred over unsafe languages, these powerful---but unsafe---capabilities in Java should be restricted.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To remove the safety from (a weapon).
Verb
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “unsafe” mean?
Not safe (various senses); dangerous.
Is “unsafe” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.