antipathy

noun

an·​tip·​a·​thy an-ˈti-pə-thē 

plural antipathies

1

: a strong feeling of dislike

an antipathy to taxes

a deep antipathy between the groups

2

: something disliked : an object of aversion

… perhaps his greatest antipathies were cabs, old women, doors that would not shut …

—Charles Dickens

3

obsolete : opposition in feeling

Synonyms

• animosity
• animus
• antagonism
• bad blood
• bitterness
• enmity
• gall
• grudge
• hostility
• jaundice
• rancor

Choose the Right Synonym for antipathy

enmity, hostility, antipathy, antagonism, animosity, rancor, animus mean deep-seated dislike or ill will.

enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed.

an unspoken enmity

hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression.

hostility between the two nations

antipathy and antagonism imply a natural or logical basis for one's hatred or dislike, antipathy suggesting repugnance, a desire to avoid or reject, and antagonism suggesting a clash of temperaments leading readily to hostility.

a natural antipathy for self-seekers

antagonism between the brothers

animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility.

animosity that led to revenge

rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong.

rancor filled every line of his letters

animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice.

objections devoid of personal animus

Examples of antipathy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump’s harsher trade policies toward China, combined with his antipathy toward U.S. alliances in the Asia-Pacific, point to greater instability in U.S.-China relations, said Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. —Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 22 Oct. 2024

Vance’s antipathy for them hardened during the pandemic. —Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024

Both brothers regularly attribute their mutual antipathy to the age gap. —Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2024

Indeed, the investor antipathy ran so deep that when Disney announced in its second quarter earnings release on May 7 this year that the entertainment division of Disney+ had made its first profit, even that didn't boost its stock price which fell by 1.7% to close at $105.39. —Caroline Reid, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin antipathia, from Greek antipatheia, from antipathēs of opposite feelings, from anti- + pathos experience — more at pathos

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

antipathy

noun

an·​tip·​a·​thy an-ˈtip-ə-thē 

plural antipathies

1

: a strong dislike

2

: a person or thing that arouses strong dislike

antipathetic

ˌant-i-pə-ˈthet-ik

adjective

Medical Definition

antipathy

noun

an·​tip·​a·​thy an-ˈtip-ə-thē 

plural antipathies

1

: settled aversion or dislike

2

: an object of aversion

antipathic

ˌant-i-ˈpath-ik 

adjective