antisocial

adjective

an·​ti·​so·​cial ˌan-tē-ˈsō-shəl  ˌan-ˌtī- 

1

: averse to the society of others : unsociable

2

: hostile or harmful to organized society

especially : being or marked by behavior deviating sharply from the social norm

3

psychology : of, relating to, or characteristic of antisocial personality disorder

Although community placement before discharge reduces subsequent antisocial behavior, most have apparently required outpatient mental health services indefinitely …

—Nathaniel S. Lehrman

antisocially

ˌan-tē-ˈsō-shə-lē

ˌan-ˌtī- 

adverb

Synonyms

• aloof
• asocial
• buttoned-up
• cold
• cold-eyed
• cool
• detached
• distant
• dry
• frosty
• offish
• remote
• standoff
• standoffish
• unbending
• unclubbable
• unsociable

Examples of antisocial in a Sentence

She's not being antisocial; she's just shy at parties.

she's not antisocial, just extremely shy

Recent Examples on the Web

To be sure, there’s no need to cross the line and be complicit in any antisocial, unethical, or destructive behaviors. —Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

But even some Democrats acknowledged that rising public concerns about crime and antisocial behavior provide a backdrop to the case that may contribute to more lenient views of Penny’s actions. —Niall Stanage, The Hill, 3 Dec. 2024

To ’60s bikers, swastikas didn’t signal allegiance to the Nazi cause, per se, but a broader antisocial tendency. —Katie Rife, Vulture, 21 June 2024

Screaming and antisocial behavior may not seem like beloved traits, but these penguins are revered in Māori culture as taonga, or treasure, even gracing the country’s $5 bill. —Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing antisocial

• antisocial personality disorder

Kids Definition

antisocial

adjective

an·​ti·​so·​cial ˌant-i-ˈsō-shəl 

ˌan-ˌtī-

1

: unfriendly sense 1

2

: being against or bad for society

especially : being or exhibiting behavior that is very different from accepted behavior

Medical Definition

antisocial

adjective

an·​ti·​so·​cial -ˈsō-shəl 

: hostile or harmful to organized society: as

a

: being or marked by behavior deviating sharply from the social norm

b

: of, relating to, or characterized by an antisocial personality, the antisocial personality disorder, or behavior typical of either