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

In the arid, inhospitable climate of western Iran’s Zagros Mountains, life has found a remarkable way to survive. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

Water could exist beneath a chokingly thick atmosphere, as high-pressure ice, or sitting above an inhospitable interior. — Alix Freckelton, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2026

The bad news is that last month’s cranky, inhospitable vibes are bleeding into this month. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026

The absence of chocolate’s main ingredient on their menus isn’t due to culinary preferences, but a completely different climate in the southeast that remains largely inhospitable to the tropical plant. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Aug. 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