hostility

noun

hos·​til·​i·​ty hä-ˈsti-lə-tē How to pronounce hostility (audio)
plural hostilities
1
a
: deep-seated usually mutual ill will
glad to have gotten through the divorce proceedings without any visible signs of hostility
showed open hostility toward outsiders
b(1)
: hostile action
the Spanish expedition encountered hostility … and was forced to fleeR. W. Murray
(2)
hostilities plural : overt acts of warfare : war
Peace talks were stalled after recent hostilities.
2
: conflict, opposition, or resistance in thought or principle
there was tension, there was hostility and envy in the airTheodor Reik
Choose the Right Synonym for hostility

enmity, hostility, antipathy, antagonism, animosity, rancor, animus mean deep-seated dislike or ill will.

enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed.

an unspoken enmity

hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression.

hostility between the two nations

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

animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility.

animosity that led to revenge

rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong.

rancor filled every line of his letters

animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice.

objections devoid of personal animus

Examples of hostility in a Sentence

They were both glad to have gotten through the divorce proceedings without any visible signs of hostility. The townspeople showed open hostility to outsiders. Peace talks were stalled after recent hostilities. Both sides are calling for a cessation of hostilities.
Recent Examples on the Web This is not the first time that Britain’s clubby media world has shown hostility to outsiders. Mark Landler, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Waymo already operates in San Francisco and Phoenix, where a series of recent incidents with robotaxis in both cities has further stoked existing safety concerns and evoked hostility. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The activists’ concerns center on the latest wave of hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024 Obviously, as time has gone on, the hostilities have opened up to more places. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Related article Latino students at UGA face hostility after police say suspect in Laken Riley’s death is undocumented Santana is being held in Snohomish County Jail on a $1 million bond and appeared in court Monday, O’Keefe said. Joe Sutton, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Aid organizations say a cessation of hostilities is the only effective way to ease the massive suffering of civilians in Gaza. Claire Parker, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 If anyone offers a suggestion or asks a question, it is met with hostility. Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024 According to the latest reports, 6.5 million Ukrainian refugees are scattered around the world, with a majority (65%) willing to return home after the eventual cessation of hostilities. Katya Soldak, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hostility.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hostilite, hostilitie, borrowed from Late Latin hostīlitāt-, hostīlitās, from Latin hostīlis "of an enemy, hostile" + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hostility was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near hostility

Cite this Entry

“Hostility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hostility. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hostility

noun
hos·​til·​i·​ty hä-ˈstil-ət-ē How to pronounce hostility (audio)
plural hostilities
1
: a hostile state, attitude, or action
2
plural : acts of warfare

Medical Definition

hostility

noun
hos·​til·​i·​ty hä-ˈstil-ət-ē How to pronounce hostility (audio)
plural hostilities
: conflict, opposition, or resistance in thought or principle
hostile adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hostility

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