hostility

noun hos·til·i·ty \ hä-ˈsti-lə-tē \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of hostility

plural hostilities

1 a : deep-seated usually mutual ill will

glad to have gotten through the divorce proceedings without any visible signs of hostility

showed open hostility toward outsiders

b (1) : hostile action

the Spanish expedition encountered hostility … and was forced to flee
—R. W. Murray

(2) hostilities plural : overt acts of warfare : war

Peace talks were stalled after recent hostilities.

2 : conflict, opposition, or resistance in thought or principle

there was tension, there was hostility and envy in the air
—Theodor Reik

See hostility defined for English-language learners

See hostility defined for kids

Examples of hostility in a Sentence

They were both glad to have gotten through the divorce proceedings without any visible signs of hostility.
The townspeople showed open hostility to outsiders.
Peace talks were stalled after recent hostilities.
Both sides are calling for a cessation of hostilities.

Recent Examples of hostility from the Web

But the new hostility also doesn’t have the guard rails that were created during the Cold War to prevent escalation, notably the diplomatic back-channels that President John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev used to defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "A Cold War Without Guard Rails," 10 Apr. 2018
Even before Nebenzia's accusations, Mistura warned about the hostilities in Syria spiraling out of control to threaten international stability.

— nicole gaouette, CNN, "Haley says Russia's hands are 'covered in the blood of Syrian children'," 9 Apr. 2018
If the two of them can follow the Ready Player One model and improve on the book, there’s a chance that the film could work on-screen without drawing the same hostility the book received.

— tasha robinson, The Verge, "What the Armada adaptation can learn from Ready Player One’s successes," 9 Apr. 2018
Councilman Chris Seebach said the plan should remove some of the personal hostility that has clouded the past several weeks of debate by limiting the direct involvement of Black and Cranley.

— dan horn, Cincinnati.com, "Council OKs investigation of Cincinnati City Manager Harry Black," 4 Apr. 2018
Stan Bell, of S&S Auto and Towing, said there are instances where people whose cars are towed express their hostility toward the tow truck driver.

— gregory tejeda, Post-Tribune, "Tow operators, Gary at odds over fees," 3 Apr. 2018
For one German girl who survived the bombings of her homeland and endured the hostility of political conflict, rebuilding her life would take her across the Atlantic in a search for something more.

— idahostatesman, "Learn about Idaho geology, WWII refugee’s life in recent releases | Idaho Statesman," 23 Mar. 2018
To start, Trump’s Twitter stream is already clear evidence of his hostility toward CNN.

— edmund lee, Recode, "Here’s what you need to know about the U.S. lawsuit against the AT&T-Time Warner merger," 16 Mar. 2018
Despite the government legal offensive, Padilla said the rebels remain open to a resumption of negotiations to end the hostilities.

— Washington Post, "Philippine rebels reject terror tag but still open to talks," 22 Feb. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of hostility

see hostile

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

hostility Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of hostility

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

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

HOSTILITY Defined for English Language Learners

hostility

noun

Definition of hostility for English Language Learners

: an unfriendly or hostile state, attitude, or action
hostilities : acts of fighting in a war

HOSTILITY Defined for Kids

hostility

noun hos·til·i·ty \ hä-ˈsti-lə-tē \

Definition of hostility for Students

plural hostilities

1 : an unfriendly or hostile state, attitude, or action

They showed no hostility toward strangers.

2 hostilities plural : acts of warfare

Medical Dictionary

hostility

noun hos·til·i·ty \ hä-ˈstil-ət-ē \

medical Definition of hostility

plural hostilities

: conflict, opposition, or resistance in thought or principle

—

hostile

play \ˈhäs-tᵊl, -ˌtīl\ adjective

Learn More about hostility

See words that rhyme with hostility Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hostility Spanish Central: Translation of hostility Nglish: Translation of hostility for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of hostility for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up hostility? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

hostility

Definition of hostility

Examples of hostility in a Sentence

Recent Examples of hostility from the Web

Origin and Etymology of hostility

hostility Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of hostility

Other Military Terms

HOSTILITY Defined for English Language Learners

hostility

Definition of hostility for English Language Learners

HOSTILITY Defined for Kids

hostility

Definition of hostility for Students

Medical Dictionary

hostility

medical Definition of hostility

hostile

Learn More about hostility

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Trending: Trump: Den of Thieves and 'Lowlifes'

The Adverb: A Most Fascinating POS

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes