Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
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:

Despite his anger, Smith told listeners he had no ill will toward the organization.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

That means telling him that you wish him well and bear him no ill will.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 25, 2026

Which along with a career’s worth of ill will puts the sting in “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025

Ms Dzafce has apologised for the photo, noting it has "caused ill will in many people".

From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2025

He needed a new campaign that would get him out of Rome, away from the gossip and the ill will.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com