antisocial

adjective

an·​ti·​so·​cial ˌan-tē-ˈsō-shəl How to pronounce antisocial (audio) ˌan-ˌtī- How to pronounce antisocial (audio)
1
: averse to the society of others : unsociable
2
: hostile or harmful to organized society
especially : being or marked by behavior deviating sharply from the social norm
3
psychology : of, relating to, or characteristic of antisocial personality disorder
Although community placement before discharge reduces subsequent antisocial behavior, most have apparently required outpatient mental health services indefinitely …Nathaniel S. Lehrman
antisocially
ˌan-tē-ˈsō-shə-lē
ˌan-ˌtī- How to pronounce antisocial (audio)
adverb

Examples of antisocial in a Sentence

She's not being antisocial; she's just shy at parties. she's not antisocial, just extremely shy
Recent Examples on the Web Online interactions can bring out antisocial behavior that people would never display in their offline communities. Jonathan Haidt, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2024 Delving too deep can lead to obsessive and antisocial behavior, as individuals become consumed by the quest for hidden truths, distancing themselves from reality and those around them. Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 But poor casting was only half of it — Charles Walters' 1955 adaptation unfortunately reimagines the heroine as an irascible antisocial brat with delusions of grandeur, all explained away by bizarre contemporary psychoanalysis provided in voice-over. EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 His former wife has been diagnosed with an antisocial mental disorder. Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024 Walnut was a graceful, strong-willed bird, if a tad antisocial. Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2024 Due to their antisocial behavior, psychopaths and sociopaths are clever and hard to spot. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 The titular doctor's antisocial tendencies, drug addiction, and eccentric behavior were loosely inspired by Sherlock Holmes, of whom series creator David Shore is a huge fan. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 7 Nov. 2023 This shutdown is the pure product of the modern GOP, packed with antisocial weirdos and redolent of their inability to govern themselves or anyone else. Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 4 Nov. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of antisocial was in 1790

Dictionary Entries Near antisocial

Cite this Entry

“Antisocial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antisocial. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

antisocial

adjective
an·​ti·​so·​cial ˌant-i-ˈsō-shəl How to pronounce antisocial (audio)
ˌan-ˌtī-
1
2
: being against or bad for society
especially : being or exhibiting behavior that is very different from accepted behavior

Medical Definition

antisocial

adjective
an·​ti·​so·​cial -ˈsō-shəl How to pronounce antisocial (audio)
: hostile or harmful to organized society: as
a
: being or marked by behavior deviating sharply from the social norm
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by an antisocial personality, the antisocial personality disorder, or behavior typical of either

More from Merriam-Webster on antisocial

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