hostile

adjective
UK: /ˈhɒstaɪl/
US: /ˈhɑːstl/

  1. Unfriendly and aggressive; showing or feeling opposition.

    1. The dog looked hostile, so I walked away from it. [ ] [ ]
    2. The crowd became hostile when the band didn't play their favorite song. [ ] [ ]

  2. Relating to an enemy.

    1. Hostile forces attacked the city during the night. [ ] [ ]
    2. The government has denied any hostile intentions towards its neighbors. [ ] [ ]

  3. Difficult or not suitable for living or growing.

    1. The desert is a hostile environment for most plants. [ ] [ ]
    2. The financial climate became increasingly hostile to new businesses. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

antagonistic aggressive unfriendly belligerent inimical
hostile adverb

  1. In a very unfriendly or aggressive way.

    1. He spoke to her hostilely after the argument. [ ] [ ]
    2. The board reacted hostilely to the proposed budget cuts presented today. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hostile" in English means: Unfriendly and aggressive; showing or feeling opposition., Relating to an enemy., Difficult or not suitable for living or growing..

The phonetic transcription of "hostile" is /ˈhɒstaɪl/ in British English and /ˈhɑːstl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hostile": antagonistic, aggressive, unfriendly, belligerent, inimical.

Example usage of "hostile": "The dog looked hostile, so I walked away from it.". More examples on the page.