inhospitable

adjective

in·​hos·​pi·​ta·​ble ˌin-(ˌ)hä-ˈspi-tə-bəl  (ˌ)in-ˈhä-(ˌ)spi- 

1

: not showing hospitality : not friendly or receptive

2

: providing no shelter or sustenance

an inhospitable environment

inhospitableness noun

inhospitably

ˌin-(ˌ)hä-ˈspi-tə-blē 

(ˌ)in-ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-

adverb

Synonyms of inhospitable

• hostile
• negative

Examples of inhospitable in a Sentence

It's very inhospitable of him to be so rude to strangers.

the proposal received an unexpectedly inhospitable response from the city council

Recent Examples on the Web

First, California could renew the tax every year, cementing the state as inhospitable for the wealthy, many of whom will simply leave – which many billionaires have – or choose not to establish businesses in California at all. —Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 4 May 2026

Fire made the inhospitable conditions of caves more bearable, as caverns were often cold, dark, damp, and home to other residents like lions, bears, and hyenas, which had to be displaced. —Literary Hub, 1 May 2026

Thyme thrives in dry, rocky soils that may be inhospitable to other common plants. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Apr. 2026

Groups including the Grand Canyon Trust urge water managers to mix in deeper, cooler water to keep the Grand Canyon inhospitable to smallmouth bass. —ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

inhospitable

adjective

in·​hos·​pi·​ta·​ble ˌin-(ˌ)häs-ˈpit-ə-bəl  (ˈ)in-ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit- 

1

: not friendly or generous : not showing hospitality

2

: providing no shelter or food : barren

an inhospitable desert

inhospitably

-blē 

adverb

inhospitality

(ˌ)in-ˌhäs-pə-ˈtal-ət-ē

noun