Synonym Chooser

How does the noun hostility differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of hostility are animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, enmity, and rancor. While all these words mean "deep-seated dislike or ill will," hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression.

hostility between the two nations

Where would animosity be a reasonable alternative to hostility?

The words animosity and hostility are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility.

animosity that led to revenge

When might animus be a better fit than hostility?

While the synonyms animus and hostility are close in meaning, animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice.

objections devoid of personal animus

How do antipathy and antagonism relate to one another, in the sense of hostility?

Both 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

When can enmity be used instead of hostility?

Although the words enmity and hostility have much in common, enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed.

an unspoken enmity

When is rancor a more appropriate choice than hostility?

The synonyms rancor and hostility are sometimes interchangeable, but rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong.

rancor filled every line of his letters

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 hostility What to Know Khamenei's remarks on Saturday underscored his enduring hostility toward U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and portrayed Washington as a destabilizing force. Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025 All of these dynamics combine to produce a volatile mix that could turn an escalating trade war into something more dangerous, with each side acting out of a sense of distrust, hostility, and resentment. Michael Swaine, Twin Cities, 17 May 2025 The push to ban the additive comes as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed skepticism of and sometimes outright hostility toward water fluoridation, which is considered one of the great public health achievements of the 20th century. Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 15 May 2025 Ultimately, restrictions on vacant CPS property sales are part of a broader problem, and that’s education officials’ open hostility toward alternative education models. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for hostility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hostility
Noun
  • No more tolerance of hatred, no more mercy for criminals.
    Sarah Beth Hensley, ABC News, 28 May 2025
  • Antisemitism, hatred and terrorism must be stopped, lest our civilization fall into the abyss.
    Diane Gensler, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • On April 10, tariffs on nearly all Chinese imports, including fireworks, climbed as high as 145% as a tit-for-tat trade conflict between China and the United States escalated.
    Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 26 May 2025
  • Instead of blaming or withdrawing, reconnect after hard moments and show your child that conflict doesn’t have to lead to shame or disconnection.
    Reem Raouda, CNBC, 25 May 2025
Noun
  • The fear this instills in I-Jing — already ignored by her busy mother, nor attended to by her mercurial older sister, I-Ann, who holds a grudge against her mother and rebels by working at a shady betel nut stand — sets off a secrets-unearthing chain of events.
    Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 14 May 2025
  • Was Disney actually complicit in Ryan using shareholder revenues to further a personal grudge?
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Trump vowed to end the war in Ukraine on the campaign trail, but so far has seen little to no progress toward that goal since taking office four months ago.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
  • In fact, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated outright that ending the war is not going to happen until Hamas disarms and moves out of Gaza, two conditions the Palestinian terrorist group views as surrender terms.
    Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • The monarch will be hoping to offer support to Canada in the face of Trump's comments, while simultaneously deflecting any animosity from Trump towards the U.K.
    Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
  • Fights break out in stands after San Diego’s dramatic 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy The animosity between rival MLS fans at the San Diego-LA Galaxy match Saturday led to wild postgame scenes of fighting that elicited a sizeable police response.
    Theo Lloyd-Hughes, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
Noun
  • In a wide-ranging interview that spans his childhood dyslexia, career-long antagonism of Donald Trump and navigation of today’s contracting movie business, Lee is alternately funny and introspective, worried and grateful, but always unapologetically himself.
    Rebecca Keegan, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2025
  • What To Know The exchange was a striking moment of open antagonism in the Oval Office, a space typically reserved for formal diplomacy, especially among U.S. allies.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Despite the public enmity between the two, Newsom reached out to the White House in hopes of working together on the creation of a $7.5-billion federal tax incentive to keep more productions in the U.S. Hollywood insiders have wanted a federal tax incentive program all along.
    Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025
  • The stakes of the negotiations couldn't be higher for the two nations closing in on half a century of enmity.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Almost every organization has a version of this tension.
    Talie Smith, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • Bring Her Back is still a messy endeavor, even with what feels like a newfound discipline, not to mention a superior grasp of pacing and catch-release tension, happening behind the camera.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hostility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hostility. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on hostility

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!