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Synonyms

ill will

American  

noun

  1. hostile feeling; malevolence; enmity.

    to harbor ill will against someone.

    Synonyms:
    unfriendliness, antipathy, animosity, hostility, hatred
    Antonyms:
    benevolence

ill will British  

noun

  1. hostile feeling; enmity; antagonism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of ill will

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300

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:

"I bear nobody any personal ill will, I'm not interested in that," Swinney said.

From BBC Jul. 22, 2026

That can trigger jealousy or ill will if one partner seeks to “beat” the other’s performance.

From MarketWatch Mar. 5, 2026

The ill will is chalked up to the idea that everybody hates a winner.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 25, 2026

And Hoekstra has signaled that there is still an abundance of ill will.

From Salon Dec. 2, 2025

Witch hysteria was spurred by overzealous clerics and simple factors such as envy and ill will among neighbors, but the trials were very real.

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman

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