hostility

noun

hä-ˈsti-lə-tē How to pronounce hostility (audio)
Definition of hostilitynext
1
as in hatred
a deep-seated ill will a lingering hostility between the two neighbors ever since since they had that property-line dispute

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conflict
hostilities plural a state of armed violent struggle between states, nations, or groups Both sides agreed to cease all hostilities.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun hostility differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of hostility are animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, enmity, and rancor. While all these words mean "deep-seated dislike or ill will," hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression.

hostility between the two nations

Where would animosity be a reasonable alternative to hostility?

The words animosity and hostility are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility.

animosity that led to revenge

When might animus be a better fit than hostility?

While the synonyms animus and hostility are close in meaning, animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice.

objections devoid of personal animus

How do antipathy and antagonism relate to one another, in the sense of hostility?

Both antipathy and antagonism imply a natural or logical basis for one's hatred or dislike, antipathy suggesting repugnance, a desire to avoid or reject, and antagonism suggesting a clash of temperaments leading readily to hostility.

a natural antipathy for self-seekers
antagonism between the brothers

When can enmity be used instead of hostility?

Although the words enmity and hostility have much in common, enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed.

an unspoken enmity

When is rancor a more appropriate choice than hostility?

The synonyms rancor and hostility are sometimes interchangeable, but rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong.

rancor filled every line of his letters

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hostility There was absolutely no aggression or hostility on the field or in the stands. — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2025 Mikhail Komin, also from CEPA, said the ceasefire terms largely reflect Washington's preferences and would secure only a temporary pause in hostilities without guarantees for Kyiv. — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025 While some viewers have expressed awe at the technological achievement, others have reacted with discomfort or even hostility. — Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2025 All agree on the urgent need for action, but Democrats’ broader hostility to the anti-fraud efforts of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency has driven them to oppose even this commonsense legislation. — Matt Weidinger, National Review, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hostility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hostility
  1. hatred
  2. conflict
  3. grudge
  4. war
  5. animosity
  6. antagonism
  7. enmity
  8. tension
Noun
  • Venerable baby boomer Kevin Bacon plays the titular bounty hunter Hub Halloran, a proud Georgia man with little tolerance for tomfoolery and a hatred of the Red Sox.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Even if those two men didn’t make it out of Europe alive, the unspeakable acts carried out in the name of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich would still live on in infamy, reminding humanity what blind hatred and xenophobia could lead to if a society wasn’t careful.
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of hatred
Noun
  • Their conflict reached its end at AEW's Revolution event in March 2025, where Strickland ultimately defeated Ricochet.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • These trade conflicts have triggered worries about stagflation, a combination of stagnant growth and elevated inflation.
    — Axios, Axios, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Trump has held a public, longstanding grudge against VOA, Politico noted.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2025
  • When Mia came onto the franchise, her ability to let insults roll off her back was an asset; a cast that holds grudges is the nail in the coffin for any franchise.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of grudge
Noun
  • With Donald Trump waging a war on the news media, one of D.C. media’s longest running dinner events ended the night by toasting the First Amendment, bypassing the traditional nod to the president of the United States.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
  • After the war, Grade moved to the United States and wrote some of the best novels in the Yiddish language, all woefully little known.
    — Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of war
Noun
  • The Rays have failed to find common ground with four St. Pete mayors and two Tampa mayors in the past 20 years and have left a trail of animosity in their wake.
    — John Romano, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Drake and Sabrina Carpenter have been duking it out on the charts lately, as their albums sat at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively last week on the Billboard 200 — but that doesn’t mean that have any animosity towards each other.
    — Angel Diaz, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of animosity
Noun
  • What To Know The White House meeting was a striking exchange of open antagonism in the Oval Office, a space typically reserved for formal diplomacy, especially among U.S. allies.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
  • If economic conditions in China continue to deteriorate, Xi could pivot suddenly, perhaps softening his antagonism toward the West.
    — Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2024
Definition of antagonism
Noun
  • On a hot streak, Predator and Die Hard director John McTiernan keeps ratcheting up the tension as his two leads get closer to each other, building to a climax that, at the time at least, played like a farewell to American and Russian enmity.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Zoom out: The current enmity for DEI was on display this week in the congressional hearings for President-elect Trump's Cabinet nominees.
    — Emily Peck, Axios, 17 Jan. 2025
Definition of enmity
Noun
  • The collections presented during the recent Paris, Milan, and London shows reveal designers navigating the tension between innovation and heritage.
    — Angela Lei, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Over one of the most powerful bridges in pop history, tension builds as Gaga’s vocals cascade around you.
    — Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of tension

Browse Nearby Words

hostilities
hostility
hosts
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Cite this Entry

“Hostility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hostility. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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