hostility
Americannoun
-
hostilities
plural
noun
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enmity or antagonism
-
an act expressing enmity or opposition
-
(plural) fighting; warfare
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of hostility
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English hostilite, from Latin hostīlitās, from hostīl(is) ( see hostile) + -itās -ity
Explanation
Hostility is the state of ill will and bad feeling. If a teacher embarrasses you in front of the whole class, you will probably regard him or her with hostility for the remainder of the school year. Hostility can be used to describe aggressive relations between two countries as well as between people. The issue of territorial borders can often cause hostility between neighboring countries. If actual fighting breaks out, use the word hostilities to refer to the violent actions between them. The ordinary citizens of the countries involved will look forward to the end of hostilities when the two governments are able to work together for peace.
Vocabulary lists containing hostility
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
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Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Date That Will Live In Infamy" (1941)
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Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
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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.
See Examples For:
Many scenes in Blue Lights highlight the distrust of, and hostility towards, the police in some communities.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
As the bishop of Rochester from 1966 to 1969, he made some decisions that drew criticism, even hostility, from members of the diocese.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Our school shut down amid protests and hostility.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Blazo’s research shows that when sibling dynamics are colored by hostility and toxic comparisons, younger siblings experience “differentiation.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
This kind of hostility bewildered them; they saw it not as an inevitable part of urban life, but as something personal and hurtful.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
On the downside, spending also got a boost from an increase in gas prices after the U.S. and Iran resumed hostilities.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
More than 1 million land mines are estimated to be in the DMZ, the no-man’s-land created as part of the armistice halting active hostilities in the 1950-53 Korean War.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
The main diplomatic effort is being led by the AU, which has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to direct talks.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
"I want to emphasise once again: we are not preparing for any kind of hostilities with Europe," he added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
I stressed that a mutually agreed-upon cease-fire to end hostilities ought to be the first order of business, for without that, no business could be conducted.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
