hostiles

noun

plural of hostile
as in enemies
one that is hostile toward another reports of hostiles in the area kept the settlers on edge

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hostiles Reacher counts 13 hostiles in his surveillance of this makeshift WMD lab. — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hostiles
  1. enemies
  2. opponents
  3. foes
Noun
  • There’s something crazy about this season where there aren’t really any tight groups (except for Jelly and Devin) and everyone thinks their enemies are actually their allies.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Now comes Netflix’s spin on the romantic comedy to end all romantic comedies, starring Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden as the characters at the center of literature’s original enemies-to-lovers trope.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of enemies
Noun
  • Rudeness, when in the spirit of resistance to the party’s opponents, has clearly proven popular with its base.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • And here’s a thought that might have opponents singing the blues.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of opponents
Noun
  • Former foes resurface to settle scores and fresh allegiances form, leaving him to act on his own to shield his family and bring things back under control.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026
  • As the votes came in, SpaceX and Tesla shares dropped, as investors perhaps questioned if a potential merger between those firms may now be in doubt, with Musk’s political foes back in power and in a position to add friction.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of foes

Browse Nearby Words

hostilely
hostiles
hostilities
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Cite this Entry

“Hostiles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hostiles. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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