unsafe

/ʌnˈseɪf/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈseɪf/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈsāf/ (ame, mw)

unsafe — 形容詞

  • unsafepositive
  • more unsafecomparative
  • most unsafesuperlative

1. exposed to the possibility of being hurt, lost, or damaged, or putting someone i

1.形容詞A2
釋義

不安全

可能造成傷害或損失的

exposed to the possibility of being hurt, lost, or damaged, or putting someone in that position.

例句

Local officials declared the old bridge unsafe after the storm damaged its steel supports.

在暴風雨損壞鋼製支架後，當地官員宣布這座舊橋不安全。

passive construction: declared [+ noun] unsafe

Anong felt unsafe walking home alone through the poorly lit alley.

Anong 獨自走在燈光昏暗的巷子裡回家，感到不安全。

同義詞
  • dangerous

    the closest synonym; more focused on inherent capacity to injure or kill, while unsafe emphasises lack of protection or security

  • hazardous

    more formal and technical, used for specific identifiable risks such as chemicals or work conditions

  • risky

    emphasises the chance of a negative outcome rather than immediate physical danger; common with financial or strategic decisions

  • precarious

    suggests instability and threat of sudden collapse, often used for physical positions or financial situations

反義詞
  • safe

    opposite in all senses; free from danger or risk

  • secure

    emphasises protection from harm or loss, often in a more permanent or structural way

文法句型

be / feel / become + unsafe

unsafe + for + noun

unsafe + to-infinitive

declare / consider / rule + noun + unsafe

用法筆記

Commonly appears in safety warnings and public notices. The adjective often follows linking verbs such as be, feel, become, or remain. When describing a person's emotional state (e.g., felt unsafe), the focus is on the person's perception of danger rather than an objective condition.

常見錯誤

❌The bridge is unsafe to cross it.
✅The bridge is unsafe to cross.
💡Do not add an object pronoun after the to-infinitive when the bridge is the implied object of both the main clause and the infinitive.

2. describing a court's ruling against a defendant when the evidence that led to th

2.形容詞C1
釋義

不可靠

證據不足導致判決有問題

describing a court's ruling against a defendant when the evidence that led to that ruling is weak, false, or unreliable, making the ruling untrustworthy.

例句

The appeals court overturned the verdict, ruling the conviction unsafe.

上訴法院撤銷了判決，認定該定罪不可靠。

collocation: unsafe conviction / rule [+ noun] unsafe

Karim's lawyer argued that the evidence was too weak to support an unsafe conviction.

Karim 的律師主張證據過於薄弱，無法支持一個不可靠的定罪。

同義詞
  • unreliable

    broader term that can apply to evidence, witnesses, or judgments; less specific to formal court decisions

  • unsound

    suggests the decision has a logical or procedural flaw rather than weak evidence

  • questionable

    softer and less technical; suggests doubt without necessarily implying the decision is wrong

反義詞
  • safe

    in British legal usage, a 'safe conviction' is one that the court considers reliable and properly supported by evidence

  • sound

    describes a legally solid and well-supported decision

文法句型

unsafe + conviction / verdict / finding

declare / rule / find + conviction + unsafe

用法筆記

Primarily used in British and Commonwealth legal contexts, especially in appeal cases. In the US legal system, equivalent concepts are expressed through terms such as 'reversible error' or 'insufficient evidence'. The word is almost exclusively paired with conviction, verdict, or finding — never used for laws, contracts, or sentences.

常見錯誤

❌The law itself is unsafe because it is unclear.
✅The conviction was unsafe because the key witness lied.
💡The legal sense of unsafe applies only to the outcome of a trial (conviction or verdict), not to statutes, regulations, or legal principles.