Definition of ENMITY

Choose the Right Synonym for enmity

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

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Enmity and its synonyms "hostility," animosity, and animus all indicate deep-seated dislike or ill will. Enmity (which derives from an Anglo-French word meaning "enemy") suggests true hatred, either overt or concealed. Hostility implies strong, open enmity that shows itself in attacks or aggression. Animosity carries the sense of anger, vindictiveness, and sometimes the desire to destroy what one hates. Animus is generally less violent than animosity, but definitely conveys active prejudice or ill will.

Examples of enmity in a Sentence

Bin Laden may no longer be supplying directions and funding, but his ethos of enmity lives on. — Michael Hirsh et al., Newsweek, 10 June 2002 What has earned her the enmity of so many peers is her indiscriminate outspokenness. — Karen Springer, Newsweek, 10 June 1996 Battles over slavery in the territories broke the second party system apart and then shaped a realigned system that emphasized sectional enmity. — Mary Beth Norton et al., A People and a Nation, 1988 There's a long history of enmity between them. His comments earned him the enmity of his coworkers. We need to put aside old enmities for the sake of peace.

Recent Examples on the Web

Avenatti told audiences from California to New Hampshire, differing with those — including, most prominently, former First Lady Michelle Obama — who counseled grace in the face of enmity. — James Queally, The Seattle Times, "Lawyer Michael Avenatti, accused of fraud and attempts to extort Nike, is arrested," 25 Mar. 2019 Since her appointment to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, her statement raises alarm about how her enmity for the world’s only Jewish country—and the world’s largest Jewish population—might translate into policy aims. — Abigail Shrier, WSJ, "Democrats and Anti-Semitism," 12 Feb. 2019 The two men have known each other for decades and have shared an enmity that has occasionally spilled into the open. — David Winning, WSJ, "A Battle for the Soul of Conservatism Plays Out in Australia," 24 Aug. 2018 The debate was still going 12 hours later, a sign of the enmity coursing through Tunisia’s political scene. — Bouazza Ben Bouazza, The Seattle Times, "Tunisia PM faces confidence vote amid political tensions," 12 Nov. 2018 Their enmity is total, and the country is becoming ungovernable. — David Roberts, Vox, "The caravan “invasion” and America’s epistemic crisis," 2 Nov. 2018 While there's been occasional, sometimes serious violence since the war ended in 1953, including in 2010 when 50 South Koreans were killed in attacks blamed on the North, the enmity hasn't risen to full-scale fighting since. — Fox News, "AP looks at the Koreas' push for formal end to Korean War," 18 Sep. 2018 The ensuing back-and-forth between the clubs led into the finale of their season series, pitting Cole against Bauer, whose enmity dating to college has been well-documented. — Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, "Trevor Bauer-Gerrit Cole showdown: Indians starter dominates; both get no-decision," 27 May 2018 America is worried that the enmity among its allies is damaging its effort to increase economic and political pressure on Iran. — The Economist, "Cold war in the heatWhy Gulf countries are feuding with Qatar," 21 June 2018

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