unfriendly

adjective

un·​friend·​ly ˌən-ˈfren(d)-lē 

: not friendly: such as

a

: hostile, unsympathetic

an unfriendly nation

b

: inhospitable, unfavorable

Synonyms of unfriendly

• icy
• cold
• frigid
• chilly
• cool

Examples of unfriendly in a Sentence

They were very unfriendly to us.

the unfriendly looks quickly warmed when we were recognized as long-unseen relatives

Recent Examples on the Web

There was a time when getting credentialed to cover games felt like pulling teeth for outlets perceived as unfriendly to the league. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026

But the Americans already lost to the Turks last year in an unfriendly friendly, so this may be a real problem. — Filip Bondy, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026

The Twins crossed the quarter mark of the season Sunday by completing a series win in Cleveland, an unfriendly place for them over the past few years. — Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 11 May 2026

That's not to mention that the spark wheel tends to be small and entirely unfriendly to the gloves that could otherwise protect your thumb from the flame (and fingers from the frigid cold that inspired the fire in the first place). — C.c. Weiss may 20, New Atlas, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unfriendly

• friendly

Kids Definition

unfriendly

adjective

un·​friend·​ly ˌən-ˈfren-(d)lē 

1

: not friendly or kind : hostile

an unfriendly greeting

2

: not agreeable

an unfriendly environment

unfriendliness noun