unfriendly

adjective

un·​friend·​ly ˌən-ˈfren(d)-lē 

: not friendly: such as

a

: hostile, unsympathetic

an unfriendly nation

b

: inhospitable, unfavorable

Synonyms of unfriendly

• icy
• cold
• frigid
• chilly
• cool

Examples of unfriendly in a Sentence

They were very unfriendly to us.

the unfriendly looks quickly warmed when we were recognized as long-unseen relatives

Recent Examples on the Web

When interviewing people that knew Lee and Elaine, our unnamed narrator comes across men complaining about Elaine always being drunk or Lee being unfriendly. —Literary Hub, 17 Mar. 2026

Whitney has been complaining to Conner that Jen has been weirdly unfriendly at the Dancing With the Stars studio. —Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026

Vintage dub techno was grimy, barnacle-encrusted, and often user-unfriendly. —Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026

For every place that greets visitors with warmth and joy, there are others where the welcome is cooler, guarded, or even downright unfriendly. —David Dickstein, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unfriendly

• friendly

Kids Definition

unfriendly

adjective

un·​friend·​ly ˌən-ˈfren-(d)lē 

1

: not friendly or kind : hostile

an unfriendly greeting

2

: not agreeable

an unfriendly environment

unfriendliness noun