antisocial
Americanadjective
-
unwilling or unable to associate in a normal or friendly way with other people.
He's not antisocial, just shy.
- Synonyms:
- misanthropic, retiring, unsociable
- Antonyms:
- affable, genial, gregarious
-
antagonistic, hostile, or unfriendly toward others; menacing; threatening.
an antisocial act.
- Synonyms:
- intimidating, disruptive
-
opposed or detrimental to social order or the principles on which society is constituted.
antisocial behavior.
-
Psychiatry. of or relating to a pattern of behavior in which social norms and the rights of others are persistently violated.
noun
adjective
-
avoiding the company of other people; unsociable
-
contrary or injurious to the interests of society in general
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of antisocial
Explanation
When someone is antisocial, they're either rude and unmannered or they avoid other people. Either way, they're not the life of the party. This is a word that describes people and behaviors that are not very welcoming to others. Yelling, swearing, pushing, and generally being a jerk are all antisocial behaviors. Being a hermit and avoiding contact with other people is antisocial, too. Though this is a negative word, it's not entirely bad. We all need to get away from others once in awhile, and people who seem antisocial may just need a little space.
Vocabulary lists containing antisocial
Power Prefix: Anti
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We the People: Soc
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: ant-, anti-
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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.
The findings may help researchers better understand how biology contributes to antisocial and criminal behavior.
From Science Daily • May 10, 2026
President Lee Jae Myung pledged in a social media post on Saturday to take the "strongest possible" action against "antisocial behaviour that exploits community crises to worsen them and profit from them".
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
An overnight parking clampdown aimed at tackling antisocial behaviour at a beauty spot where people hike to catch the sunrise will not solve the problem, locals say.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
She performs humble Christian motherhood with aplomb, her antisocial personality tucked away as deftly as the farmhouse kitchen’s off-camera dishwasher.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
He’s been more antisocial than usual since his mother’s visit.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
