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

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

The designation is usually reserved for firms in unfriendly countries, such as China’s Huawei, and theoretically means Anthropic cannot work with any companies with military contracts. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026

While not gruff or unfriendly, the serious New York restaurateur carries a distinct tone of getting down to business, even when casually chatting about how the show has changed over time. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026

Compared with other cities, the model was less likely to associate Austin with being boring, stingy or unfriendly. —Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 26 Feb. 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