1
as in negative
marked by opposition or ill will
the suggestions for change were given a hostile reception by some of the longtime employees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfavorable
opposed to one's interests
the company's president vows to fight the hostile takeover by the giant corporation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
reports of hostiles in the area kept the settlers on edge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hostile
Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register, 27 Jan. 2026
The Netflix acquisition has drawn an unusual amount of commentary from lawmakers in the weeks since it was announced, while some have also weighed in on Paramount’s hostile bid for all of Warner Bros Discovery.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Matthew Stolle, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
Deputy District Attorney Scott Pirrello told jurors that Bushey had a history of acting hostile toward family members and that his sister’s abrupt presence in the home set him off, leading him to act out and her to fear for her safety.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hostile
Adjective
Japanese prisoners of war arrived at Camp Clarinda in Iowa in early 1945, meeting a tense and hostile reception.
—Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register, 27 Jan. 2026
The Netflix acquisition has drawn an unusual amount of commentary from lawmakers in the weeks since it was announced, while some have also weighed in on Paramount’s hostile bid for all of Warner Bros Discovery.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
But no one has just been out-and-out hostile to him.
—Matthew Stolle, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
Deputy District Attorney Scott Pirrello told jurors that Bushey had a history of acting hostile toward family members and that his sister’s abrupt presence in the home set him off, leading him to act out and her to fear for her safety.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hostile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hostile
Adjective
-
And one of the main lessons that will be learned from that account is that while the harms that occurred came quickly and sometimes surprisingly easily, their negative consequences — on universities and society at large — will linger for a long time.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The rapid rise of AI technology has had negative effects on the climate and humanity, albeit indirectly.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The fear here was due in part because Marathon had its last alpha decimated by ARC Raiders, dropping its own public test right on top of it this past summer, one that went far better and made Marathon look unfavorable in comparison.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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In 2021, the startup agreed to merge with a SPAC led by Gerry Cardinale and Billy Beane but ended up calling off the deal a year later, citing unfavorable market conditions.—
Luisa Beltran,
Sportico.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At the time, the issue of who the enemy was didn’t cause much political disagreement in Washington; it was generally understood to be Al Qaeda, or groups like it.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Spin is the enemy of accountability.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Affected cosmetics that are applied to the skin or eyes may lead to skin irritation, infection, or other adverse reactions.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Even for women whose initial mammograms didn’t show any calcium buildup and were considered low risk, risk of an adverse cardiac incident increased by 41% if buildup was detected on followups.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
While skepticism toward artificial intelligence is understandable, dismissing AI as inherently harmful overlooks both history and reality.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Regulators will examine whether Grok is living up to its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc’s wide-ranging rulebook for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products.—
Kelvin Chan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Charley's simple request was to play against opponents with similar physical development.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
-
For any good criminal, the cop is the opponent.—
Richard Johnson,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Crowe will portray a swordsman who mentors Cavill's Highlander, and Bautista will play an antagonistic immortal known as the Kurgen, while Gillan will star as Connor's very mortal wife.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The endeavors and desires of the Bantu [Black people] and the endeavors and objectives of all Europeans [white people] will be antagonistic.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Would a division foe be willing to cooperate?—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Commentators sided with the worshippers and villainized Lemon, who has been a prominent Trump foe for years, including during his time as a prime time CNN anchor.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hostile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hostile. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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