inhospitable
adjective
in·hos·pi·ta·ble
ˌin-(ˌ)hä-ˈspi-tə-bəl 
(ˌ)in-ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-
(ˌ)in-ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-
1
: not showing hospitality : not friendly or receptive
2
: providing no shelter or sustenance
an inhospitable environment
inhospitableness
noun
Synonyms
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 women common infertility issues are associated with ovulation disorders, fallopian tube damage or inhospitable conditions of the uterus, according to Mayo Clinic.
—
Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024
Such adaptations not only ensure the continuation of species in the most inhospitable conditions on Earth but also remind us of the endless creativity of evolution in crafting solutions to the problems of existence.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Aldabra does have an inhospitable side: there’s no fresh water, and the temperature soars each day.
—David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024
But other scientists interpret the same observations as evidence of an inhospitable, gaseous planetary composition more like Neptune’s.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024
The Ice Age made the islands inhospitable to reptiles, whose cold-blooded bodies need heat from the surroundings to function.
—Sarah Fecht, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024
By The New York Times That year was a turning point for migration through the Darién Gap, an inhospitable stretch of mountainous wilderness that is riddled with poisonous snakes and roving gangs of criminals.
—Ken Bensinger Federico Rios, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Conditions in the capital could, with justice and without taking liberties, be called inhospitable.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024
Ensuing search operations combed through some of the deepest ocean floors in the inhospitable southern Indian Ocean, hundreds of miles off Australia’s western seaboard, and found no trace of the main fuselage or any passengers and crew.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024
Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024
Such adaptations not only ensure the continuation of species in the most inhospitable conditions on Earth but also remind us of the endless creativity of evolution in crafting solutions to the problems of existence.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Aldabra does have an inhospitable side: there’s no fresh water, and the temperature soars each day.
—David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024
But other scientists interpret the same observations as evidence of an inhospitable, gaseous planetary composition more like Neptune’s.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024
The Ice Age made the islands inhospitable to reptiles, whose cold-blooded bodies need heat from the surroundings to function.
—Sarah Fecht, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024
By The New York Times That year was a turning point for migration through the Darién Gap, an inhospitable stretch of mountainous wilderness that is riddled with poisonous snakes and roving gangs of criminals.
—Ken Bensinger Federico Rios, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Conditions in the capital could, with justice and without taking liberties, be called inhospitable.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024
Ensuing search operations combed through some of the deepest ocean floors in the inhospitable southern Indian Ocean, hundreds of miles off Australia’s western seaboard, and found no trace of the main fuselage or any passengers and crew.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inhospitable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near inhospitable
Cite this Entry
“Inhospitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhospitable. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inhospitable
adjective
in·hos·pi·ta·ble
ˌin-(ˌ)häs-ˈpit-ə-bəl
(ˈ)in-ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit-
(ˈ)in-ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit-
1
: not friendly or generous : not showing hospitality
2
: providing no shelter or food : barren
an inhospitable desert
inhospitality
noun
(ˌ)in-ˌhäs-pə-ˈtal-ət-ē
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