animosity
noun
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Where does the word animosity come from?
The important Latin word animus (very closely related to anima) could mean a great many things having to do with the soul and the emotions, one of them being "anger". As an English word, animus has generally meant "ill will", so it isn't mysterious that animosity means basically the same thing. Animosity can exist between two people, two groups or organizations, or two countries, and can sometimes lie hidden for years before reappearing. The deep animosities that exist between certain ethnic and religious groups sometimes seem as if they will last forever.
Examples of animosity in a Sentence
John Grisham, New York Times Book Review, 1 May 2005
As I get older, I have noticed the troubles many of my friends have with their fathers: the animosities and disappointments, held so long in the arrears of late adolescence, suddenly coming up due on both ends. But my father and I, if anything, have gotten closer, even as I understand him less and less.
—Tom Bissell, Harper's, December 2004
What I did not anticipate, however, was the depth of animosity that had been simmering among the teachers beneath the pleasantries that characterized our public, formal encounters. I discovered that my enthusiastic advocacy for whole language was received by traditional teachers as demeaning, insulting attacks.
—Elaine Garan, Language Arts, September 1998
We put aside our personal animosities so that we could work together.
his open animosity towards us made our meeting very uncomfortable
Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
President Biden never came, becoming the first to not do so since diplomatic ties were normalized, an absence that underscored simmering distrust and animosity between Washington and Beijing that has only worsened since.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Alonso was a key Liverpool player under Benitez from 2004 to 2009, one of his main lieutenants out on the pitch, before leaving for Real Madrid, but was actually never the target for any animosity from the Chelsea crowd.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Typical city hall meetings are mundane, but in Haslet, council meetings are wrought with public displays of animosity that have captured the residents’ attention.
—Rachel Royster
may 11, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for animosity
Cite this Entry
“Animosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/animosity. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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animosity
noun
