Hostile
Unfriendly, antagonistic, or showing opposition or ill will; not welcoming or cooperative.
adjectiveHostile
Unfriendly, antagonistic, or showing opposition or ill will; not welcoming or cooperative.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine walking into a meeting where every person eye-balls you, arms crossed, and replies are short and sharp. The air feels tense and you sense open opposition in every comment.
Sounds Like
HOST-ile (sounds like 'host' + 'aisle' in a way that helps remember the hostile, unfriendly connotation).
Looks Like
Looks like the word 'host' plus the ending '-ile', suggesting a stance toward others (a host with a hostile attitude).
Remember This
Hostile comes from Latin hostilis meaning 'of an enemy', related to hostis meaning 'enemy'; it contrasts with hospitable, which relates to guests and welcoming behavior.
Other Forms
Connect With
antagonistic, adversarial, enmity, belligerence, unfriendly, inhospitable
Note
Use hostile to describe attitudes, environments, or actions that are openly unfriendly or oppositional. Not all disagreements are hostile; hostility implies aggression or persistent opposition.