unfriendly

adjective

un·​friend·​ly ˌən-ˈfren(d)-lē 

: not friendly: such as

a

: hostile, unsympathetic

an unfriendly nation

b

: inhospitable, unfavorable

Synonyms

• antiseptic
• arctic
• brittle
• chill
• chilly
• clammy
• cold
• cold-blooded
• cold-eyed
• coldish
• cool
• frigid
• frosty
• frozen
• gelid
• glacial
• hard-eyed
• icy
• uncordial
• unsympathetic
• wintry
• wintery

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

Singapore has also become a safe haven for Chinese companies navigating an increasingly unfriendly world. —Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 27 Nov. 2024

Evan Isaacson, a senior environmental attorney at the Chesapeake Legal Alliance, said one of his biggest concerns is the balance of the Supreme Court, which has already been unfriendly to certain environmental regulations. —Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 10 Nov. 2024

Both the unfriendly neighborhood Spider-Man and his intended victim fled the scene. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2024

The move comes even as Trump has been viewed as unfriendly to clean energy stocks — a group that can include EV manufacturers such as Tesla. —Sean Conlon, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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