1 hostilities | Definition of hostilities
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hostility

noun
hos·​til·​i·​ty | \ hĂ€-ˈsti-lə-tē How to pronounce hostility (audio) \
plural hostilities

Definition of hostility

1a : deep-seated usually mutual ill will glad to have gotten through the divorce proceedings without any visible signs of hostility showed open hostility toward outsiders
b(1) : hostile action the Spanish expedition encountered hostility 
 and was forced to flee— R. W. Murray
(2) hostilities plural : overt acts of warfare : war Peace talks were stalled after recent hostilities.
2 : conflict, opposition, or resistance in thought or principle there was tension, there was hostility and envy in the air— Theodor Reik
Other Words from hostility Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about hostility

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Choose the Right Synonym for hostility

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 hostility in a Sentence

They were both glad to have gotten through the divorce proceedings without any visible signs of hostility. The townspeople showed open hostility to outsiders. Peace talks were stalled after recent hostilities. Both sides are calling for a cessation of hostilities.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Learn to smoke out your enemies, to spot them by the signs and patterns that reveal hostility. — John Canzano | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, "Canzano: The secret of Oregon Ducks coach Mario Cristobal’s book club," 30 Aug. 2019 One of his wives and several of his children were reportedly seized as hostages, and when hostilities ended after one week, officials put the death toll at 500. — Harrison Smith, BostonGlobe.com, "Dawda Jawara, Gambian founding father who led country for 24 years, dies at 95," 29 Aug. 2019 In the space of ten minutes, Scarborough went from being a steady font of right-wing outrage and hostility, to being fulsomely embraced as a breath of fresh air on cable news. — Alex Pareene, The New Republic, "Joe Walsh Is Running for “Morning Joe”," 29 Aug. 2019 The Reds came undone in Belgrade nine months ago, the Reds struggling to cope with the ear-splitting noise, as well as the hostilities both on and off the pitch. — SI.com, "Manchester City's Best & Worst Case Scenarios Ahead of 2019/20 Champions League Group Stage Draw," 29 Aug. 2019 One of his wives and several of his children were reportedly seized as hostages, and when hostilities ended after one week, officials put the death toll at 500. — Harrison Smith, Washington Post, "Dawda Jawara, Gambian founding father who led country for 24 years, dies at 95," 29 Aug. 2019 That strategy appeared to gain potency on Friday when the president attacked his own Federal Reserve chairman, escalated hostilities with China over tariffs and demanded that American companies stop doing business with the Chinese. — New York Times, "Trade Turmoil Gives Democrats an Opening to Hit Trump on Economy," 24 Aug. 2019 The patriotic overtures of Answer Tea, which was founded in the mainland city of Zhengzhou, come amidst worldwide demonstrations of both support for and hostility towards the Hong Kong protests, which show no sign of subsiding after three months. — Naomi Xu Elegant, Fortune, "How Hong Kong’s Protests Are Roiling the World’s Booming Bubble Tea Market," 22 Aug. 2019 Bristol Palin’s third-place finish, despite her average dance skills and the regular presence of former vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin, brought with it hostility over the role of fans’ votes in the judging process. — Los Angeles Times, "Tom Bergeron wanted ‘DWTS’ to avoid politics. Then Sean Spicer was cast," 21 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hostility.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of hostility

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for hostility

Middle English hostilite, hostilitie, borrowed from Late Latin hostīlitāt-, hostīlitās, from Latin hostīlis "of an enemy, hostile" + -itāt-, -itās -ity

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More Definitions for hostility

hostility

noun
How to pronounce hostility (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of hostility

: an unfriendly or hostile state, attitude, or action
formal : acts of fighting in a war

See the full definition for hostility in the English Language Learners Dictionary

hostility

noun
hos·​til·​i·​ty | \ hĂ€-ˈsti-lə-tē How to pronounce hostility (audio) \
plural hostilities

Kids Definition of hostility

1 : an unfriendly or hostile state, attitude, or action They showed no hostility toward strangers.
2 hostilities plural : acts of warfare

hostility

noun
hos·​til·​i·​ty | \ hĂ€-ˈstil-ət-ē How to pronounce hostility (audio) \
plural hostilities

Medical Definition of hostility

: conflict, opposition, or resistance in thought or principle

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