hostile

[hos-tl, -tahyl] / ˈhɒs tl, -taɪl /

ADJECTIVE

antagonistic, mean

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adverse belligerent bitter contentious contrary hateful inhospitable inimical nasty opposed unfavorable unfriendly unsympathetic

STRONG

alien anti catty chill cold militant opposite sour

WEAK

allergic argumentative bellicose competitive disapproving dour ill-disposed malevolent malicious malignant oppugnant ornery pugnacious rancorous scrappy spiteful surly unkind unpropitious unsociable unwelcoming viperous virulent vitriolic warlike

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agreeable aiding favorable friendly good helpful helping hospitable kind nice pleasant wonderful

STRONG

hot sympathetic warm

WEAK

gentle welcoming

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

People view publishing these decks as a hostile act, and assume we’re not talking to banks behind the scenes, trying to convince them to take the right path.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

ICE agents, who often work in urban settings, had little prior experience handling hostile crowds.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026

Think other hostile governments and criminal gangs aren’t also hunting for the same vulnerabilities?

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Prior to that legislation, only a narrow set of federal agencies — Homeland Security, Justice, Defense — could legally interfere with a hostile drone.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Kainene looked Chief Okonji right in the eyes, with that stare that was so expressionless, so blank, that it was almost hostile.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Vocabulary lists containing hostile

The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Some Tricky Homonyms

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!