ill-natured

[il-ney-cherd]

adjective

1. having or showing an unkindly or unpleasant disposition.

   Synonyms: sour, gloomy, morose, sulky, petulant, cranky
   Antonyms: amiable, kindly

ill-natured

adjective

1. naturally unpleasant and mean

Other Word Forms

• ill-naturedly adverb
• ill-naturedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ill-natured¹

First recorded in 1625–35

Synonym Study

See cross.

Example Sentences

His marriage was now fast approaching, and she was at length so far resigned as to think it inevitable, and even repeatedly to say, in an ill-natured tone, that she “wished they might be happy.”

From Literature

Another paper put it this way: “An old maid is one of the most cranky, ill-natured, maggoty, peevish, conceited, disagreeable, hypocritical, fretful, noisy, gibing, canting, censorious, out-of-the-way, never-to-be-pleased, good-for-nothing creatures.”

From New York Times

That still can’t be said of all tennis tournaments, but despite some ill-natured male grousing recently, equal pay is still the rule at the United States Open, at least.

From New York Times

Snape had his wand out and was blasting rosebushes apart, his expression most ill-natured.

From Literature

“While we’ve had the experience of hearing, seeing or being touched, a family lives here. There is nothing ill-natured here.”

From Washington Times