anti

noun an·ti \ ˈan-ˌtī , ˈan-tē \

Updated on: 18 Apr 2018

Definition of anti

plural antis

: one that is opposed

The group was divided into pros and antis.

Recent Examples of anti from the Web

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was a prominent anti-apartheid activist and the ex-wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela.

— kansascity, "Final Chapters for April 8, 2018: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Steven Bochco | The Kansas City Star," 7 Apr. 2018
In December 1967, just months before his death, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. announced his Poor People’s Campaign, a radical anti-poverty crusade that aligned with the leader’s democratic socialist beliefs.

— holly genovese, Teen Vogue, "Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Panther Party Shared Many of the Same Ideologies," 4 Apr. 2018
Trump Backs Crown Prince’s Crackdown Days after Kushner left Riyadh, MBS instituted his anti-corruption crackdown, arresting his rivals and many influential Saudis.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Why the Saudi Crown Prince Might Think He Has Jared Kushner ‘In His Pocket’," 22 Mar. 2018
In the past, bikers involved in the annual event have argued that the rowdy ride is intended to send a positive anti-violence message — but its the death-defying high-speed stunts caught on video that have gotten most of the publicity .

— charles rabin and carli teproff, miamiherald, "Cops set ‘zero tolerance’ for MLK Day riders pulling stunts on Florida roads | Miami Herald," 11 Jan. 2018
Some Republicans, claiming an anti-Trump bias within the FBI at high levels of the agency, also have alleged that the FBI used a phony dossier to obtain authorization from a FISA court to surveil Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

— NBC News, "Sessions: No special counsel to probe alleged FBI political bias, but US attorney investigating," 29 Mar. 2018
Instead, the combative anti-corruption activist called for an election boycott and tried to draw as much attention as possible to electoral fraud.

— howard amos, The New Republic, "The Banality of Disappointment," 19 Mar. 2018
In March 2016, a Trump rally in Chicago was called off after violent clashes broke out, while an anti-Trump protester was punched at a rally in North Carolina and another was punched and kicked at a rally in Arizona.

— niraj chokshi, BostonGlobe.com, "Assaults increased when cities hosted Trump rallies, researchers say," 16 Mar. 2018
In March 2016 alone, a Trump rally in Chicago was called off after violent clashes broke out, while an anti-Trump protester was punched at a rally in North Carolina and another was punched and kicked at a rally in Arizona.

— niraj chokshi, New York Times, "Assaults Increased When Cities Hosted Trump Rallies, Study Finds," 16 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anti.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of anti

anti-

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1788

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

anti

adjective

Definition of anti

: opposed

the anti group

Recent Examples of anti from the Web

What is needed, instead, is a nuanced engagement with anti-Malala sentiment....

— monitor editors, The Christian Science Monitor, "Time for an tax overhaul for digital multinationals, Why China and the West diverge sharply on privacy, Understanding Pakistan’s anti-Malala sentiment, The West has struggled to deal decisively with Russia, Winnie Mandela was Africa’s Rosa Parks," 14 Apr. 2018
Both the Rothschilds and Soros are frequent targets of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

— CNN, "HHS official shared post saying 'forefathers' would have 'hung' Obama, Clinton for treason," 13 Apr. 2018
This policy stance flies in the face of not only Clinton-era bipartisanship, but also the decades of Republican anti-tariff rhetoric that preceded it.

— ryan p. smith, Smithsonian, "A History of America’s Ever-Shifting Stance on Tariffs," 13 Apr. 2018
At issue back then wasn’t just reining in Microsoft on anti-trust grounds, but also insuring that computing’s future couldn’t be governed by one corporation, particularly on the matter of how the internet was going to impact ordinary life.

— ian bogost, The Atlantic, "The Dot-Coms Were Better Than Facebook," 13 Apr. 2018
Post-climbing, Smith repairs her skin with an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, moisturizing ointment.

— julie ellison, Outside Online, "10 Tips for New Rock Climbers," 12 Apr. 2018
The Pros Suggest a Kold-Draft Cocktail Planners, photographers, and bartenders share their favorite anti-overheating devices.

— lauren levy, The Cut, "The Everything Guide to Staying Cool at a Summer Wedding," 12 Apr. 2018
There has also been a string of anti-Semitic incidents in German schools in recent weeks.

— washington post, BostonGlobe.com, "‘It is like we have regressed 100 years’: Report warns of resurgent global anti-Semitism," 11 Apr. 2018
The decision followed a recommendation by a panel of experts and came amid concerns over anti-Semitic incidents during pro-Palestinian protests and in schools.

— Fox News, "Germany appoints commissioner to fight anti-Semitism," 11 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of anti

see anti-

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1855

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

anti

preposition

Definition of anti

: opposed to : against

They were anti big corporations.

See anti defined for English-language learners

Examples of anti in a Sentence

if you ask me, she's anti anything that sounds like the least bit of fun

Origin and Etymology of anti

see anti-

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1953

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

anti Synonyms

anti-

prefix \ ˌan-ˌtī , ˌan-tē also ˌan-ti before consonsants \

variants: or ant- or anth-

Definition of anti-

1 a : of the same kind but situated opposite, exerting energy in the opposite direction, or pursuing an opposite policy

anticlinal

b : one that is opposite in kind to

anticlimax

2 a : opposing or hostile to in opinion, sympathy, or practice

anti-Semite

b : opposing in effect or activity

antacid

3 : serving to prevent, cure, or alleviate

antianxiety

4 : combating or defending against

antiaircraft

antimissile

5 : being or composed of antimatter

antiproton

antihydrogen

See anti- defined for English-language learners

See anti- defined for kids

Origin and Etymology of anti-

anti- from Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin, against, from Greek, from anti; ant- from Middle English, from Latin, against, from Greek, from anti; anth- from Latin, against, from Greek, from anti — more at ante-

ANTI Defined for English Language Learners

anti

preposition

Definition of anti for English Language Learners

: opposed to (something or someone)

anti-

prefix

Definition of anti- for English Language Learners

: opposite to something
: against someone or something
: acting to prevent something

ANTI Defined for Kids

anti-

prefix \ ˈan-ti , ˈan-ˌtī \

variants: or ant- \ant\

Definition of anti- for Students

1 : opposite in kind, position, or action

anticyclone

2 : hostile toward

antisocial

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anti

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