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

An annual January ritual, as Illinois lawmakers gather in Springfield to begin a new legislative session, is the search for another basket of politically safe but invariably business- and citizen-unfriendly tax and fee increases to support their bloated government bureaucracies. —Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026

But in forcibly toppling an unfriendly leader, the United States changed the rules. —Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026

Could that film change the momentum game and surprise, especially for a movie released in the unfriendly Oscar month of April? —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2025

With that problem and bitumen's eco-unfriendly petroleum content in mind, a team led by Arizona State University's Assoc. —New Atlas, 19 Dec. 2025

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