Unsafely means doing something in a way that creates danger or risk of harm. When you cross a street unsafely by running out without looking both ways, you're putting yourself at risk of being hit by a car. When a construction worker operates machinery unsafely by ignoring safety rules, accidents become much more likely.

The word describes actions that ignore precautions or good sense. A chemistry student working unsafely might mix chemicals without wearing goggles or following proper procedures. A cyclist riding unsafely might weave through traffic without signaling or wearing a helmet.

Unsafely is the opposite of safely. While safely means taking reasonable precautions and following rules designed to protect people, unsafely means ignoring those protections. Sometimes people act unsafely because they're rushing, showing off, or simply not thinking about consequences. Other times they might not know the right way to do something.

The word often appears in warnings or descriptions of how accidents happened. An investigation might find that a building was unsafely built, meaning it didn't meet proper standards.